The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

a ES SETI | EAS te SR ET TE a Ca acca, ata cae 76 TNE MYSTERIES Or LONNN, should observe, tea, th .t she had parporly asaume i a t The old woman atl the yong gentleman now pree | hamble apparci en the ceeasion ef the-+ crenine watchingz, in onler to ave" the chance cf attractine jeer Sl fn silenee (owanls Suffl: Steet, Pall Mau— i Liierw thee whe bis ernyparion micht be the attention of po ereby cr paleemen, who vant} what sh: copht per-ible have to cormuninate to bim, naturally have wonder. ite rre a Lar leom ly appa- relled perron thu- loitesing ab wv. “Certainly, mitam,” rcplicd Charice: “J will listen to any thing you may have to ssy tome. Will you walk into the hen<» which I have just left: ‘tis the mansion of the Ear] of Ellingham.” “J know well who lives there, Mr. Hatfield,” an- swered the oll womans “and it is precisely becauso I wish to speak to you alone, that I have accosted you in the street. Can you pardon such boldness? ” “IF vour business with me be of importance, ma- dam,” said Charles, “no anology can be necessary on your part.” “‘Yes—my business is indecct. of importance,” ro- turned Mrs. Fitzhardinge, with mysterious emphasis. “But I cannot speak to you here———” “T have already requested you to accompany me to the house where fam residing with my relatives and friends,” said Charles, with the least indication of im- patience in his manner. “ And I baye already assured yor that I am anxious to converse with you alone,” responded the old woman, nothing daunted. “Do not mistrust me, sir—do not suppose that I have accosted you for the purpose of soliciting any assistance of a pecuniary kind——" “Then, madam, that do you require of me?” asked Charles, hastily. “Ten mivutes’ private conversation—on matters of importance—of deop importance to yourself!” replied Mrs, Fitzhardinge, as rapidly and as firmly as the other had spoken: then, before he had time to make any rejoinder, she added, “For your own sake, Mr. Hatfleld—if for no other consideration—you will ac- company me to my own dwelling, which is close at hand. What! you hesitate? Then continue to cherish the secret grief which weighs upon your mind——” “Ah! what did you say?” ejaculated the young man, starting as if a chord had been touched £0 as to vibrate to his very heart’s core. ‘I mean that if you refuse to accompany me, you will repent the loss of an oprortunity to receive reve- lations nearly concerning yourself, and which oppor- tunity may not speedily occur again.” As Rirs, Fitzhardinge uttered these words, she fixed a strange, mysterious, and almost ominous look upon Charles Hatfield, who was bewildered and amazed by her language. The old woman had dealt her random shots with good effect; and she experienced an inward triumph at her skill, and a sure conviction of its suc- cess. “Who are you? and what do you know of me?” demanded Charles, breaking silence abruptly after more than a minute’s pause, and speaking in a tone of earnestness denoting mingled suspense, wonder, and curiosity. “My name is Fitzhardinge,” replied the old woman ; “and I know all—every thing concerning you,—aye, much more than you can possibly suspect. But not another wrord of explanation will I utter here; and you may now decide whether you will at once accom- me——” “J will accompany you, madam,” interrupted Cherles Hatfield, in a decided manner. “In which airention does your abode lie?” “sive minutes will take us thither,” was the snsvrer. ae ae [PT , ome EE: SE SR | and how -he had acquire! the informati n which she alleged to b2 s» important and was about to impart. Hie naturally a<<eciated the promis.d revelations with the mystcrious circumstances which he had so recently fathomed by means of the letters and manu.cripts found in the secret recess of the library at Loid Ellingham‘s mansion ;—and yet he was at a loss to conceive how a Mrs. Fitzhardinge, whoce name was entirely strange to him, could possibly have any con- nexion with his own family affairs. At one moment he fancied that the proceeding on her part was no- thing more nor less than a plot toinveigic him to some den for predatory purposes: for he had heard that London abounded in such horrible places, and alo in persons who adopted every kind of stratagem to lure the unwary into those fntal snares. But when he considered the quarter of the great metropolis in which his companion oyvidently resided, a4 sho had assured him that her abode was only a fow minutes’ walk from the spot where she had first accosted him, —when he again noticed the respectability of her ap- pearance, and reflected that there was something superior in her manners, language, and address,—and lastly, when he romembered that amidst circumstances so complicated and mysterious as those which re his own family, it was highly possible for that aged female to be interested in them in some way or another, —he blamed himself for his misgivings, and resolved to sce the end of tho adventure. Scarcely was his mind thus made up, when Mrs. Fitzhardinge turned into Suffolk Strect; and in Jess than another minute, she knocked in an authoritative manner at the door of a handsome house. ‘The sum- mons was instantaneously responded to by a respect- able fomale-servant; and Charles Hatfield followed the old Jady up a wide stair-case lighted by a lamp which a statue in a niche held in its hand. On reach- ing the first landing, Mrs. Fitzhardinge threw open a door, saying, “ Walk into this room, Mr. Hatfield: I will join you in a few moments.” Charles entered—and the door immediately closed behind him. The young man found himself in a well-furnished apartment, in which the light of the wax candles placed upon the mantel was reflected in a handsomo mirror. The atmosphere was rendered perfumed and. refreshing by vases of fresh flowers tastefully disposed around: and on a side-table stood a large globe filled with the clearest water, in which gold and silyer fish were disporting. The curtains wore ciosed over the windows; but still the room was cool and tho sir grateful in that sultry summer ceason. These observations were made at a rapid glance ;— and then Charies Hatfield’s looks were concentrated in the cynosure which instantly absorbed all interest— all attention. For, half sitting, half reclining upon the sofa, was a being of such transcendant beauty that never in the wildest of his dreams had he conceived the like. When reading a novel or 2 poem, his ima- gination had often depicted to itself the semblance of the heroinc—and this mental portraiture was invariabl> drawn with the utmost perfection of form and feattée which impassioned and enthusiastic youth could de- vise. But no flight—no soaring of that fervid imagi- nation had ever yu idealised such dazzling, brillian: charms as those which now met his astonished zara, (CO) GIOOKS (CO)