The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

=: «=~—~S<C: ~ ~ ) - ? inbeowunited reassured with revpest to’his character, : you safe again—and I implore you to look upon me as a friend.” “Oh! Me Meagles,” cried the orphan girl, burst- ing into tears,—“if I had-not already considered yon iu that light, I should not have ventared inte your presence now. Pardon this introsion-~fergive this buldness——_but-——” She stopped short—a faintauss« came overt her and, pale though she was at-firat, yet hercountensner tiuw grew eo suddendy. sehy, that Menagles feered she: was about to faint Pdnrieg cut a glass of water; be held it to her lipa: she had just-etrength sufficient to imbibe a few dropa--and the cold beveragerevived hen: * Will you not .layvwsiie yourr bonnet, Miss Foe- ter?” said Mengies;:thtewing into his tone and raanner as muelr respestfel attention and delicate courtesy as it weer-possiie:to convey or imply by those means, “Ydtr.emucaemre that I have no wife, nor sister—senindlesd “angn female relative to whom I can introdmesrynert. betamy. landlady will pay you li due regard-——” "Mz. Meagles/* Rese, now thorenghiy: and iaageyy with herself that ehe had ever suspected Attianteg- rity,—“ I understand and appreciate all thubgenaro- 1-1 sity and delicacy of your conduct towssiia!sap— but inasmuch as I come to you as a-feisini->neg, more—as a eister would fly for sueceur and adetep to a brother—it is unnecessary that:thereshould be’ auy third person present while I converse with you. But you said that you knew I had been perse- cuted———” “ Alas! poor orphan girl,” seid. Meagles in a tone of deep feeling, while tears started: forth from hie eyes; “I have indeed heard of the terrible adventure which you experienced a week ago—and.I have been making unceasing inquiries concerning you.” “You, Mr. Meagies!” ejaculated Rese, in amaze- ment. “ Yea—certainly,” responded Tim, in a tone of unquestionable candour. that I saw you I felt interested in you—as, my God! who would not be, considering the cruel mirfortumes which have overtaken you at so early a periud of your life? The note which you sent me some weeks ago, gave me pain—because I had hoped and fiat- tered myself that you would condescend to look upon me asa friend. But at the same time I admired your prudence, Miss Foster—and, while I deplored the step which you had taken, in asmuch as it left me ignorant of your place of abode, the good opinion I had already formed of you was enhanced to the highest degree. You now understand, therefore, that I have thought of you often—and very frequently have I wished to know where you were that I might ascertain if you were contented with the new career you had traced out for yourself. Conceive, then, my dismay—my grief—my indignation, when I learnt, a week ago, that you had been made the object of a cruel persecution.” - ‘Ah! Mr. Meagies,” exclaimed Rose, the tears chasing each other down her cheeks,—“ had I treated you with less reserve—had I consulted you frankly and ingenuously ereI resolved upon my particular proceeding—all that I have endured and encountered would have been avoided. Believing the establish- ment which I entered: to be one of the highest re- spectability——” “Oh! what perils have you encountered, Miss Foster!” exclaimed Meagles, abruptly : : “for your -_ iw “From the first moment’ eyes are doubtless now open to the true character of Mrs. Brace’s house-——” “But how did you learn all that has happened to me?” she demanded. “Report says that you are intimeterwitiy the Prince of Wales—and it was as an ermimaryrfrovw-his Roya) Highness to my poor father, thut yon Girst‘besame acquainted with me. I must coneinde, then, that the Prince himself made known ‘to you his unworthy conduct and the mammer in whieh .1 eseaped from him—by adopting a course ‘which makes me shudder even now when I[ think of it” “ Hetoie girl!” ejaculated Meagles,—“I aleo have shuddered a thousand times om your account ever since the daring exploit was made known to me. Yes —from the lips of the Prince himself did I hear the tale whith excited within me-a sentiment of abhor- rence towards him equalled only by that af adanira- tion in regard to yourself.” “Was it possible that his Royal Highness knew all along that Camilla Morton was none other than the Rose Foster whom his own wickedness had made ‘amenrphan !” inquired the young maiden. “No—he only ascertained that fact at the last mo- wart>~--indeed, at the same time that he diseovered ‘your fight,” answered Meagles. “A letter which ‘You had.drepped in the hurry and- cenfusion of that memorable night, and which his Royal Highness picked up, informed him who you were But think not, Mies Foster, that: be. wassteieken with remorse —or thatif he-were,. the feelaeg: Jasted more than a momen. No!” cried: Meagies emphaticall y,— “ that man ts-inapableof tly generous onnoble; and beware, Mided/deter; how you fall in his:way! Let: us: not, however, dwell upon topics so unpleasant. I was ere-now telling you that during the last'week I have been making unceasing inquiries concermng you-—and this is so true that 1 have neglected many important matters which de- ‘manded my attention. But I knew enough of you to be aware that you are inexperienced and confiding : Virtuous and well-intentioned yourself, you are na-~ turally prone to place reliance upon others ;—and I trembled, Miss Foster—Oh! I trembled lest you should fall into the snares of the artful, the designing, and the unprincipled.” “Ob! how can I ever sufficiently express my gratitude for all this generous pas sympathy and friend- ship on your part?” exclaimed Rose, her voice almost suffocated with sobs.. “Alas! alas! I have = oe —— enna indeed become the vietim of my inexperience—et. pecuniary least so far as my cerned———-” “Tell me all that has occusred to you, Miss Foster,” cried Meagles, “simce the night on which you escaped from Mre. Brace’s house. I am certain aflairs are con you have emfared much—your adventures have been of no ordinary description—for you are = care-worn, altered —-——"’ “ Heavens! how can it. be otherwise f* exelsimed | Rese, suddenly becoming painfully excited as -the | thought of all she had paseed through wad recalled | with terrible vividness to her mind. “Yel did indeed trust to people whom I ‘believed honest— | and they plundered me—robbed me, My. Maagles, | of every guinea of that sum which you yourself had — invested m my name at the Bank of England. Ob! why did I not come to you? But I sent—or rather some one pretended to cajl upon you—and I was assured that you had gone to Scotland ———” COMICOOKS.CO