The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

a an re ne nn eee ree sre ee eer nee gD . THR MYSTERIES. dation; and, resuming ois own seat, he waited with no inconsiderable degree of curiosity for the Gret words that should fall from her lips. “Soarocely knowing how to introdace the object of my visit, Mr. Clarendon,” said the veiled lady, in a voice rich with all the soft melody and beau- tifal with all the harmonious freshness of youth,— “I must commence by apologising for this intru- sion. But you wij! pardon me if J neither reveal my name nor raise my veil upon the present ooca- sion, Indeed, my business with you fs full of mys- “ But of what nature is that basiness, Mise—or Madam—for I know not x aire distinction to address you,” interrupted Mr. Clarendon, not al- ‘eogether liking the opening scene in this strange interview. * Call me Miss, if you will,” sald the lady. “ And do not,” she immediately exclaimed, * imbibe any hasty notion to my prejudice, on account of the mystery with which ft st present suits me to onve- lope myself. It may be that we shall become far more intimately connected: on the other hand it may be that we shall part presently—never to meet “ And on what do these alternatives depend?” inquired Mr. Clarendon, a strange aod unac- eountable feeling coming over him,—a feeling made up of something more than mingled surprise, cu- riosity, and suspense,—one of those mystic and sa- perhuman sensations, in fine, which visit us but once or twice during our lives, bat which, when they do shed their influence over us, seem to wara as that we have reached some point or crisis in our destiny which will decide the whole current and channel of the fatare flow of existence. “You ask on what those alternatives depend ?” the veiled lady : and Mr. Ciarendon knew by her attitude and manner tnat she was fixing her eyes upon him searchingly through her veil. “They depend solely on yourself,” she added, after @ pause of nearly a minute. “Madam, allow me to tell you frankly that the mystery which you are adopting begins to be irk- soule and embarrassing to me,” said Mr. Clarendon. “ If you wish to speak to me omsome private matter, I will pledge my word most sacredly and my honoor most soleniniy to look upon the commanication as confidentfal and secret.” * And if that communication were of a startling eharacter ?” said the lady, in a tone of inquiry. « These are times when it requires a great deal to startle anybody,” responded Mr. Clarendon. “Am I to understand that your experience of the world is such as to render it difficalt either to startle or shoek you?” demanded the mysterious anknown. “I need not hesitate to answer you in the affir- mative,” said Mr. Clarendon, who failed not to comprehend that his visitress was seeking for en- couragement to proceed. ~ Y3s—my acquaintance with the world is not of the most pleasant descrip- tion: and I have seen enough to convince me that heartlesaness and selfishness thrive the best, while generosity and honour fall lamentably into the beckgrouné. I liken Generosity to a man who eommits slow suicide by means of infinitesimal doses of poison, which however must prove eventually | ringio fatal: for Generosity ruins and destroys itself, to reap nothing but ingratitude. As for Honour— ae a L "tis a mere word,” added Mr. Clarendon, with ia- tense bitterness, “ which every man and every class of men interpret differently.” “Ah! now I begin to understand you better— and I am glad that you have made these observa- tions,” said the lady. ‘ You have evidently beea taught by experience to look upon the world as the arena in which interests wage a more terrible conflict than that of the Roman gladiators. And you are right, Mr. Clarendon. But, Raving adopted these views, you would doubtless feel gratefal to any one who might point out the means of ameliorating your own condition ?” “By heaven! I would worship such a friend 4s if it were an angel sent from heaven!” ejaculated Mr. Clarendan : then, almost repenting of the en- thusiasm into which his feelings had at the moment betrayed him, he said in a different and “colder tone, “But wherefore do you put such strange questions to me? If you know aught of my cir- cumstances——” “I kuow everything f° interrupted tho veiled visitress. “I am weil acquainted with all the de- tails of your position—and I am convinced, after the admissions you have already made, that it is painful and intolerable to a degree.” “But it may be dangerous for me to make further admissions to you, lady !” suddenly exclaimed Mr. Clarendon, fearful that he had been guilty of some imprudeace in expressing with such freedom his ideas of the world and the views resulting from his experience of it. “Before we continue a discourse which has taken so- strange a turn, permit me to inquire who you are “I have already warned you that it will neither suit my purposes to reveal my name or raise my veil upon the present occasion,” said the lady, in a firm and decisive tone. “Indeed, our interview may as well end here,” she added, rising abruptl; from her seat: then, again appeeriog to scao Mr Clarendon’s features with an earnest attention through her closely foided veil, she observed in a low, solema, and mysterious tone, “ That yeu are discontented, I perceive: but whether you have the courage to undertake the wurk which cao alone place you on that eminence to which you ambition aspires, I am unabis at present to judge. If you do indeed possess that courage, I am willing to ald you upon certain conditions, Therefore, whether we saall meet again must depend upon yourself For the remainder of this week and throughout the next shall I each morning look into the Zimes newspaper : if no communication be made to me through ite advertising colamas, I shall conclude that you are a mere grumbier who dares not act—a polttoon who can complain but who lacks the energy neceasary to improve his condi- tion and accomplish his desires. On the other hand, if a communication should appear in that journal, addressed to the ‘ Velled Lady,’ it will in- stantaneonsly be attended to. Fareweil.” . And, with this abrupt peroration, the mysterious visitreas quitted the room, leaving Mr. Clarendon so completely a prey to the profoundest amaze- ment that he remained fixed as it were {a his chair, unable to rise and perform the usual courteous ceremony of opening the door of the apartment or g the bell fur a domestic to attend upon her egress from the house. By degrees Mr. Clarendom recovered from tive COLT NOOO) ‘SS CO