The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

| thing ty Coil qe — «eee eee Ree ee THE M&STERIES. ee) ae » ee Had his life depended on the issue, he could not have stayed that passionate ebullition of glowing praises. The spell of your ladyship’s beauty gave an impulee to his language, which rendered him nagnificently eloquent: and, Oh! how handsome and god-like did he appear when thus breathing forth the evidences of a love—an ardent love—the sxistence of which he could not conceal even though -n the presence of Mrs. Fitzsherbert! His soul, speaking through his eyes as intelligibly as by his tongue, was one flame His cheeks mantied and his heart throbbed, as if the incantation af your witching beauty was upon him. Oh! I sould read all that was passing in his mind—in his heart—in the profundities of his soul :—and I pitied bim I” “You pitied him” said Eleanor, in a languid and tremulous tone, as a thousand agitating thoughts and tender feelings swept through her. “Pardon me for making the observation, my lady,” returned the milliner, throwing some eme- tion into her own voice; “but I must frankly con- fzas that I did pity him then—do pity him now !” “Then he loves me!” murmured Eleanor, lean- ing her head upon her hand and falling into a leep reverie, which lasted several minutes: at dength, raising her eyes, and starting at beholding sire. Brace whose presence she had forgotten dur- ing that interval of profound meditation, she said, “You must think me very vain—very silly—very foolish to have listened with so much apparent attention to all you have been telling me: but it nas served to while away an hour,” she added, glancing at the time-piece upon the mantel ;— “and I thank you for your kind endeavours to amuse me.” “ [hope your ladyehip does not imagine that I aave uttered a single word which is not literally true, or in which I do not conscientiously believe,” said Mrs. Brace ‘* No—I give you credit for sincerity,” responded Eleanor: then, her pride again coming to her aid, she observed in a tone which denoted her desire that the conversation should end, “You may leave two of the morning-capse—those which you think will become me best.” Mrs. Brace was too discreet not to take the hint thus conveyed: she accordingly made her curteey and withdrew. Bat as the crafty and desiguing milliner descended the stairs, she chackled inwardly at the effect which she saw had been preduced by her specious language on the mind of the Countess of Desborough; and she said to herself, * That proud patrician lady will ete long surreftider the fortalice of her charms to the Prince {” On entering the waiting-room adjoining the hall, the milliner found the young lady in deep mourning whom ehe had left there, conversing with a tall, thin, pale, bat very handsome and interesting young man, Greesed in a neat though homely garb. “ Now, Mies Morten, my dear,” said Mrs Brace: “we will return home” “I am at your madam,’ answered the peantiful gicls and, with a gentle inclination of the head towards the young man, she followed her mis- treas from the reom. When they were in the hackney-coach together, the milliner said, “ Who was that person you were “ He is a stranger to me, , madam,” was the prompt 213. and ingenuous reply. “Indeed, he had not been in | the apartment many minutes ere you came. Some civil remark which’ he made rendered it necessary for me to give him an equally courteous answer: but if you are offended with me, madam, for speaking to one totally unknown to me, I can assure you that I gave him no encouragement to address me.” “My dear Camilla,” said Mrs. Brace, in her kindest tone, “I am not in the least vexed with you. I know that you are a good girl and will follow my advice in all things; and that is sufficient. Indeed, I have promised to become a mother to you—and [ will keep my word.” “Oh! my dear madam, how grateful am I to yeu for this assurance!” exclaimed the young girl who was as beautiful as the sweet Christian name to which she answered, and who now appeared deeply —deeply interesting as her eyes flashed looks of gratitude through her tears, as if they were lighted up with twin-drepe of the diamond dew. “Come, my dear child,” said Mra. Brace; “ wipe away all traces of weeping—for you have a little commission to execute for me at this house where the coach is about to stop.” And as the milliner uttered these words, the vehicle, in pursuance of the directions which she had already given to the driver, drew up at the front door of a splendid mansion in Piccadilly. “T am auxious that this note,” said Mre. Brace, handing Camilla a neatly folded billet, “shonld be delivered to Lord Florimel—and to him only. I¢ roust not be conveyed through a servant—and I do not wish to deliver it myself. The truth is, my love,” added the milliner, in a hasty and confidential whisper, “it is a little money-matter—a debt which one of his lordship’s lady-eousins owes me—and [ know that all my previous applications for payment have been intercepted, when addressed to him. He will settle his extravagant relative’s liability, if we can manage that the note shall only reach him.” “T understand you, madam,” said the artlese, in- nocent, and unsuspecting Camilla, perfectly satisfied with this explanation, every word of which was of course false: “you desire me to solicit an interviéw with his lordship, and place the note in his hands.” “That is exactly what I mean, my love,” re- sponded Mrs. Brace, with bland tone and caressing manner. The beautiful girl, anxious to testify her readiness to oblige a mistress who promised to be a mother to her, descended from the vehicle | and, the front door of the mansion being by this time open in obedience to the summons given by the coachman, she in- quired of the powdered and lace-bedizened lacquey whether Lord Florimel was at home. An answer was returned in the affirmative; and she wat con- ducted into a small but elegantly-furnished parlour, where the young nobleman, in a lounging in en arm-cheir close by the biasing fire, ing a nove The instant that Camilla made her appearance he was struck by the beauty of her person, the mo- desty of her demeanour, and the sylph. ike sym- Fa alee gor beeen timidly—towards him, presen serving in a soft and silver tone, “ Mra. Brace sends this, my lord, with | ber respectful compliments,” Florimel instantly ermended, by the fact oa the fair creature being in mourning, that che was the | re ECOMnuiclooolkks {1