The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. the confidence with which he wasevidently toueh- ing upon a delicate eubject. . “ Your sister is in love!" he said, at the same time holding up his taper fore-finger to enjoin the maiden to forbear from giving vent to the feeling of astonishment which this announcement was so well calculated to raise up in her bosom. “ In love ?” she repeated, mechanically. “ Im- possible !” “ Sweet simpleton that thou art, my Pauline!” returned Lord Florimel, smiling. “Is it so very wonderful that Octavia should be in love ?—for are not you yourself already in love likewise— and with me ?” “ My lord! my lord! this pleasantryis cruel !” Pauline, her countenance expressing min- gled impatience, anger, and curiosity. “ By heaven ! I never was more serious in my life, sweet girl,” answered Florimel. “ However, to return to your sister—I tell you that she isin love, and that she has deceived you, with absurd excuses for her absence.” “Oh! if I thought that this could be true !” murmured Pauline, bursting into tears. ‘ But no— no,” she exclaimed, wiping away those crystal drops that were tracing their pearly path down her beauteous cheeks : “ Octavia would not refuse me her confidence—much leas deceive me.” “One word, Pauline,” said Florimel, gazing upon her with a mixture of tenderness and arch- ness which rendered his countenance beautifully soft and feminine in expression at that moment, eo that even the maiden herself, much as her mind was pre-occupied, felt her heart iron Ol at- tracted towards him,—“ one word, Pauline !" he repeated : “ and now answer me truly. When Octavia returns home in the morning, shall you frankly and unreservedly reveal toher all the in- cidents that have occurred during her absence ?” A blush mounted rapidly up to the virgin's pure and spotless brow ; and she cast down her looks at the samo time :—then, after a long pause, she raised her eyes timidly, observing in a tremulous voice, “ I can understand now that it is possible for even the innocent and guileless heart to cherish secrets of a certain nature.” ‘You believe, then, at length, that it is quite probable for your sister to be in love, and yet not confess her passion to you ?” said Lord Florimel “Yea, Pauline, dearest—she is indeed in love ;— and her lover,” he added, in a melting tone and with a plaintive look, “ sighs not vainly at her foet as I have been doomed this night to humble myself at yours.” “ TI dare not give way to the suspicion which your words have conjured up !” murmured Paul- line, covering her face with her hands as if to shut out some unpleasant object from her view. “ You are ing from a state of complete innocence with regard to the world, into the no- viciate of experience,” said Florimet ; “ and you will be happier, Pauline—Oh! far happier, when there is nothing left for you to learn. Already has Octavia the bonndary which separated her from the true enjoyments of this life—and in the arms of him whom she adores she tastes the inoffable bliss and the elysian delights of love.” “ No more—no more !” exclaimed Pauline, a strange tremor agitating her cntire frame. “ Hush !” whispered Florimel, ‘“‘ remember that your father is in tho next room !” —EEe eS SESS ec cS “ens ee “ My father!” repeated Pauline, with a shudder. ‘‘What will he say—what will be his feelings, when my lost and unhappy sister returns home in the morning, if indeed she should ever come back again.” “ Fear not—sho will return,” said Florimel. ‘‘ Then your lordship knows more than you have already told me ?” exclaimed the maiden, her excitement every instant increasing: ‘“ you are aware of much—Oh! far too much—con- cerning my sister? Perhaps you were even as- sured beforehand that she would not come back to-night ?” added Pauline, now calling to mind the readiness with which he had invented ex- cuses in order to tranquillise her fears relative to the prolonged absence of Octavia. “ IT will not attempt to conceal from you, my angel———” began Florimel. “ Again I command you, my lord, to refrain from language which it ill becomes me to hear," interrupted Pauline, recovering her maiden dig- nity once more. “ Then you do not love me!” said the noble- man, assuming a plaintive tone. * Oh ! I could love you—I could serve you on my bended knees—I could become your slave,” returned Pauline, relapsing suddenly into a state of painful excitement, as different emotions swayed her soul, even as an Aolian harp oscillates to every variety of the breeze :—"‘ yes—and I should look upon you as a guardian angel,” she added, with a feverish gleaming in those eyes usually so soft and melting,—“‘ if you were to save my sister from in- curring our father’s suspicions — our father’s wrath !” “ What would you have me do?” asked Flori- me}, his breast a prey to desires which were al- most maddening, as he contemplated the lovely girl: for in the agitation that had latterly seized upon her, and when she covered her face with her hands, as she now recovered, she had thrust her naked arms forth from beneath the ample cloak, and the licentious voluptuary was enabled to feast his eyes upon those arms so white and round. “ What would I have you do ?” she repeated, suddenly noticing the disordered condition of her deshabillee, and once more gathering the folds of the mantle round her lovely form: “I would have you—if your lordship really loves me—save my sister's fault from being discovered by her father. Youknow where she is at this moment— I am sure that you are not ignorant on this head? No—everything you have said regarding her, convinces me that I err not in this belief! Tis for you, then, Lord Florimel " ‘* Oall me Gabriel,” interjectured the noble- man, now fancying that the maiden was rapidly falling into his power. “Yes —-I will call you Gabriel—my dear friend Gabriel,” repeated Pauline, emphatically ; for she was ready to do almost anything in order to ecreen her sister : “and I will never—never forget your kindness, if you will serve mein thisinstance. It is for you, I say, to quit this house as speedily and as cautiously as possible—to repairto the place where you know my sister to be—toinsist upon obtaining an interview with her to tell her that our father has returned suddenly, and almost unexpectedly—and to compel her to hasten home ere he shall have de- scended from his chamber in the morning. And GORMGOOOKS ‘ ; CO