The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

3g THOU WYSTERIHS OF LONDON, ; that ulthoneh he had consented to become a spectator For a long—long time after the murder of Tamar, of the gay scene about to take place, his thoughts frequently wandered to subjects of a more serious kind and mora congenial to his nature. This was Sir John Lascelles—the most eminent physician uf the age, and who had reccived the honour of kni.shthood in recom- pense for the great services which he had rendered to the art of medicine. The third gentleman was about twenty-five years of age. ‘YalJ, handsome, well-formed, and genteel in ap- pearance, he seemed a fit and suitable companion for the lovely girl who Jeant upon his arm, and of whom we shall speak: more fully anon. The fine young man at present alluded to, was called by the name of Charles Iiatficld: but in the former portion of this work he was known, wheh a little boy, to the reader as Charley Watts. The first of the three ladies was about thirty-seven years of age; and her beauty, in the finest, chastest, and most elevated Hebrew style, was admirably pre- served. Thelapse of ycarshad only matured her charms, and not impaired them: time had tonched not the pearly whiteness of her tecth, nor dimmed the brilliant lustro of her Iqrgo dark eyes. Her hair was still of the deepest: and glossicst jet,—silken and luxuriant, as when we first described it in the fourth chapter of our narrative:—for she of whom we are speaking now, was Esther, Countess of EHingham. Conversing with the noble Jowess—for she clung to the faith of her forefathers—was a lady whose style of beauty was of that magnificent and voluptuons kind which sets the beholder at naught in his calenla- tions and conjectures relative to the age of the object of his admiration ;—for though forty-four years had passed over the head of Lady Hatficld, she was still endowed with a loveliness that, though matured, seenied to have known only the lapse of summers and never to have passed through the snowy storms of as many winters. And now wo must speak more in detail of that charm- ing girl to whom we alluded cre now, and who was leaning on the arm of Lady Hatficld’s son. Pdvish- ingly beautiful was this young creature of seventcen —with the aquiline countenance of her mother, and the Saxon complexion of her father. Yes—lovely in- deed was Lady Frances Ellingham, tho only issue of tho allinnce which took place between the Enrl and Esther one ycar after the murder of ‘Tamar, and con~ sequently eighteen years previous to the period of whith we are now writing. Much of the description which we gave of Esther in the opening of our tale, would apply to the charms of her daughter, whose forehead was high, broad, and intelligent,—whose mouth was small, and revealing in smiles teeth white as orient pearls,—whose eyes were large and dark,— and whose figure was tall, sylph-like, and graceful. But Lady Frances Ellingham’s hair, though dark, was several shades less jetty than that of her mother; and her complexion was delicately clear, with a slight tingo of vich carnation appearing beneath the dazzling purity of the skin. Such was the interesting group of six persons sta- tioned in the balcony of the Earl of Ellingham’s - mansion. But while they are awaiting the presence of the illustrious individual who is expected to pass through Pall Mall to the Queen’s levee at St. James's palace, we will place on record a fow short facts that will render less ohscure to our readers the interval of nineteen years over which we have thought fit to leap in our narative. Tom Kain appearcd inacecssible to consoiation: but at last iis naturally strong mind and vigorous intel- lect began to exercise their energies—the former to combat against the deep and depressing scase of afilic- tion—and the latter to teach him the necessity of putting forth all his powers in the struggle, not only on account of the inutility of repinings, but likewise for the sake of those who were interested in him. It was, however, chiefly on the occasion of Lord Elling- ham's marriage with Esther de Medina, that Rainford perceptibly rallied; for it did his generous heart good to behold the happiness of his half-brother. As time wore on, Tom Rain reeovered much of his former cheerfulness; and after the Japse of three years from the date of Tamar’s death, he began to listen with attention, if not with interest, to the representations made to him by the Earl, urging him to the perform- ance of a duty which it was now in his power to fulfil. Arthur reminded him of Georgiana Hatfield’s gener- ous conduct in obtaining the royal pardon,—he assured Rainford that her ladyship no longer thought of him with abhorrence and aversion, but would cheerfully bestow her hand on the father of her child—and the nobleman morcover advised the alliance on the ground that the boy would then dwell with both his parents. The death of Mr. de Medina, which happened about that time, delayed the negociations thus commenced ; but at the expiration of a year tho proposal was re- vived, and the necessary arrangements were speedily adjusted. In fine, it was settled that Rainford should abandon the name by which he had hitherto een known, and assume that of Hatficld,—that the boy should be thenceforth called in the same manner, but should be brought up in the belief that he was Rain- ford’s nephew,—and that after the marriage, which was to be solemnized in thea most private manner possible, the wedded pair should proceed to the con- tinent, and there reside for some years. All these arrangements were duly carried out. Rainford— whom we shall henceforth call by his wife’s name— became the husband of Lady Georgiana Hatfield; —and, taking with them their child, who was repre-~ sented to be their nephew, they forthwith repaired to Italy, where they dwelt for nearly fifteen years. Thus, on their return to London, only a few wecks before the date up to which we have now brought the incidents of our tale, all the stirring circumstances once asso~- ciated with the name of Tom Rain were pretty well forgotten; and none, save those few who were in the secret, suspected that the pleasant, gentlemanly, good- natured Mr. Hatfield was identical with the individual who nineteen years previously had filled all England with his fame. While we have been thus digressing, the sensation amongst the crowds in Pall Mall has increased ;—for the carringes of several eminent or illustrious person- ages havo passed along in their way to the royal levee. In the balcony at the Earl of Ellingham’s drawing~ room window, 2 degree of curiosity and excitement prevailed which certainly could not have becn aroused on the part of the intelligent individuals there assem- bled, by the mere display of gorgeous equipages. Let us seo whether the conversation passing in that balcony will throw any light upon the subject. “Well,” exclaimed Sir John Lascelles, almost in a petulant tone, “I wonder how much longer your cynosure of attraction will be before he makes his ap- é¢ pearance? Truly, it was worth while for my friend (CO) 5} GIOOKS (CO) >