The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 377: what you’re looking at

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ei oer a rR A 322 vinco you that tho equivocal position in which I have so many years boen placed, has not destroyed the sonse of rectitude and the true feelings of a mother in my breast, I shalt yet be able to receive tho assurances of your friendship without a blush, and without oxperioncing a sense of shame in your presence.” “Took upon me as your intended son-in-law, my excellont friond!” exclaimed Lord William. ‘‘My opinion of you is as high as if I were ignorant alto- gether of that equivocal position to which you al- Indo: and my sentimonts towards Sir Gilbert Heath- cote are of the warmest description. For tho sake of that daughter whom he dares not acknowledge as such, he renounces your socioty—he tears himself away from you—ho abjures the companionship of bor whom ho has loved so faithfully for many, many sears! This is aself-sacrifico—a generous dorvotion which cannot bo too deeply appreciated. And now, my dear friend,” continued the young nobleman, “itis my turn to give certain explanations. Ina word, I have this morning seen your husband, as you are already aware—and he implored me to be- como instrumental in restoring his daughter to his care. Tospeak candidly, I camo hithor for the purpose of reasoning with sou on the propricty of yielding to that desiro on his part——” “Oh! you would not soparate mo from my Agnes?” exclaimed Mrs. Sefton, clasping hor hands in an ap- pealing manner, while ber countonanco suddonly becamo pale ond expressive of the acute anguish which the baro idea caused her to experience. “No-—not after all you havo now told mo?: cried Trevolyan, in a tono 60 omphatic as to be com. pletely re-assuring. “I hare such illimitable confi- denco in you that it would bean insult,—nay, more —a flagrant wrong,—to entertain tho notion under existing circumstances. I shall call upon the Mar- quis of Dolmour this ovening or to-morrow, and candidly inform him that I can no longer recom- mond the soparation of Lady Agnes from her mother.” “T roturn you my sincerest thanks for this proof of confidence which you give me,” said Mrs. Softon. “You had not, howover, heard all the resolutions upon which Sir Gilbert and myscif havo this morn- ing agreed; and now I have to make known to you a step that is about to be taken, and which is ron- dered necessary by the porsovcrance that the Mar- quis of Delmour is certain to exert with a view to regain possession of Agnes. I proposo to take hor to France, whero wo may dwell in some peaceful seclusion, until the two remaining years of her mi- nority bo passed.” “ And during those two years,” demanded Trevol- yan, in a mournful tone, “am I to be debarred from tho pleasure of beholding her whom I loro so woll ?” I do not attempt to establish any interdiction of tho kind,” said Mrs. Sefton, with o smile. “ You will of course be made acquainted with the place of our abode; and your correspondenco or your visits —or both—will be received with delight.” “In this case, I must not offer a single objection to your plan,” oxclsimed Trovelyan, his'countenance lighting up ogain. “And bad J recommonded you noither to visit nor correspond,” said Mrs. Sefton, in an arch tone of semi-reproach, “should you have opposed our aeparturo f” “Oh!no—no: donot think that I am so selfish !” heeried. J should have considered this to be the SHE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. | 4 | day of self-dovotion for all who are interested in the welfare of your beautifal—your amiable Agnes. But I behold her in tho garden!” he exclaimed, as he Jooked towards the window oponing on the lawn at tho back of tho villa. ‘ Havo I your permission to join her there for a few minutes?” Mrs. Sefton signified her assent with a smilo and a graceful gesture; and in a few moments Trevel- yan was by tho side of the beautcous Agnes in the garden. The young lady was mournful at first—beceuso hor mothor had already communicated to her their intended departure for the continent: but when Tre volyan, turning the discourse upon that topic, gare hor to understand that ho had received permission to visit them wherosoerer they might fix their abode, and correspond with them frequently,—when he even ventured s0 far as to hint how it was more than probable that he would follow them to tho samo place, and establish his own temporary dwell- ing there, £0 as to be able to sco thom every day,— then was it that the young maiden’s countenance brightened up, and Trevelyan gathered therefrom the silent but eloquent assurance that he was not indifferent to her. The few minutes which he had obtained permis- sion to pass with Agnes grow into hours; and when, betweon four and five o'clock in the evening, Mrs. Sefton came horself to announce to tho youthful pair in the garden that dinner was already served up, he uttered an ejaculation of surpriso that it could bo so lato? Agnes said nothing—but cast down her oyes, and blushed deeply; and her mother, who know what lovo was and all its symptoms, was now fully convinced that hor daughter’s gentle heart was well disposed towards the noble suitor for her hand, CHAPTER CXCVII. THE MARQUIS OF DELMOUR. ON tho following morning, Lord William Trovo yan called upon tho Marquis of Delmour, whom b found pacing his apartment in great agitation. Tho old nobloman had two sources of annoyance at that moment: the first was the susponso in which he existed rolativo to tho result of his ous | deavours to regain possession of Agnes, whom he devotedly loved ;—and tho other was in respect to, Laura Mortimer. Iio had heard from his bankers on the provions eroning that the cheque for sixty thousand pounds bad been duly presented and cashed; and he theroe- foro concluded that the young Jady had arrived in London. But why had sho not written to him? His impationce to receive a noto from her was in proportion to the madness—tho intensity, of that passion with which her transcendont loveliness ts her syron witchories hod inspired him; and his ex- cited imagination conjured up o thousand reasons for this silence. Ho fancied that somo accident might have occurred to hor,—or that she had writ- ton, and hor Jetter bad miscarried; in which case sho herself would bo marvolling at his tardiness in repairing to hor,—or that she had changed hor mind, and repented of the promise she had made to be- come the old man’s mistross. Thon joalousy took pussession of his soul; and he could searcely cous (CO) GIOOKS (CO)