The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 243: what you’re looking at

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é i 283 THE MYSTERIES. fer mistress, she put sundry queries, which Mrs. Brace took as long a time to answer as possible. I[n- deed -she elaborated her instructions so much that she succeeded in detaining the young girl upwards of five minutes in the room—during which interval Lord Florime! could net take his eyes off her. For her mourning garb rendered her so sweetly interest- ing and set off to such advantage the beauty of her completion, that the nobleman teit all his good re- eclves thawing within him and all his grosser passions as rapidly excited. When Camilla quitted the room, followed by the enraptured looks of Florimel,—she herself, how- ever, not observing the intentness of his gaze,— Mrs. Brace said, with one of her most fascinating and archest smiles, “Is she not perfect ?” “ Ravishing !” exclaimed the young nobleman, anable to snbdue his enthusiasin. “(fl did no love Pauline, I could love Caunilia.” ° “ And you will love her all the same,” said the milliner. “Next Sunday evening yoa will sup with me: Camilla alone chall be present with us. In the meantime—for this is only Monday—I shall have leisure to insinuate into her mind all thuse little praises concerning you which produce so great an effect upon young persons.” “ No—no—I will not promise—I will not come !” ejaculated Florimel. “There can at all events be no harm in your passing an agreeable evening,’ urged Mrs. Brace. “ Well, well—I will think of it—1 will let you know to-morrow,” said Gabriel: and hastily shak- ing the milliner’s hand, he tuok an abrupt depar- dare. . “That matter is as good as settled,” marmured Mrs. Brace to herself as the door closed behind the retreating form of the young ndbleman. “ Ca- milla will be worth a thousand guineas to me in the very first instance.” Scaroely had the unprincipled—eelfish—heart- less woman made this reflection, when Harriet again entered, ushering in Mra. Lindley, the old midwife of Fore Street, Lambeth. The servant immedi- ately withdrew ; and the harridan paid her respects to Mrs. Brace, glancing however suspiciously round the room to assure herself, with her habitual cau- tion, that no listener was near. “ What brings you hither, my good friend” in- quired Mrs. Brace. “ Hush !—not so loud ;-—walis have cara!’ mur- mured the midwife, speaking in alow @hisper, and placing a iong lean finger to her lip. “That dear girl, Caroline Walters——{ “Ah! what—already ?” ejaculated the milliner, fending forward in an attitade of earnest attention. “ Hush—a miscarriage!” said the old woman, who, having by this time put on her spectacles with the great circular glasses, fixed her small dark, reptile-like eyes through them upon the counte- aance of Mrs. Brace. “ Yes—a miscarriage——” “ Well—that Ils a matter for rejoicing,” observed che milliner. “ Bat how is she 7” “Somewhat excited — Irritable — and nervous,” was the answer. “ When the pains first took her, she insisted upon having a surgeon—and she grew quite violent because I remonstrated with her. I was therefore compelled to yield to her request— and she became comparatively tranquil. When the babe was born, and the doctor pronounced it to he dead, abe insisty 1 on seeing it; and weak aud suffering as she was, such a terrible expreseioc. swept over her countenance that if I were to live for a theusand years I could not forget it. Buat— hush! what noise was that?” demanded the mid- wife, with startled manner and io a hurried whisper “ Nothing—nothing: a carriage in the street,” returned the miliiner, “Bat this expression of eountevance——” “Was of the darkest — most Send-like malig- nity,” added the old woman. “I oould not have supposed that such a young creature was suscep- tible of such a hellish passion as that which alone could have produced such a look. Bat then, as she herself Las told me, Spanish blood circulates in her veine——" “And what can this fact have to do with the demoniac expression that her features suddenly assumed 7” demanded Mrs. Brace. “Vengeance upon her seducer !—vengeance on the father of that still-born babe!” replied Mrs Lindley, inso low a tone that her words would no have been audible were theyin the least degree less emphatic. “I am accustomed to read the soul through the index of the countenance; and never was a feeling more eloquently—more intelli- gibly — or more fearfully expressed upon haman lineaments.” “ You surprise — grieve — alarm me,” sajd Mrs. Brace.’ “ But perhaps it was the effect of a sudden paroxysm of pain-——” “No: I can easily distinguish between physical anguish and tho workings of the mind,” interrupted Mra. Lindley. “So strack was I by the incident which I have mentioned, that I determined to all and communicate it to you by word of mouth: otherwise I should have merely announced the accouchement of Miss Walters, by means of a letter. Bat believe me, my dear madam,” added the mid- wife impressively,—* believe me, I say, that this young girl meditates some scheme of infernal vengeance against her seducer; and as such a pro- ceeding might lead to an exposure of all the cir- cumstances of her case, whatever they may be-——” “ Yes—yes: I comprehend you,” said Mrs. Brace, wervously: “and that exposure would perhaps in- volve the mention of my name in a manner ex- tremely rrejadicial to my establishment.” “That ia ‘recisely what [ foresaw,” observed the midwife; “and therefore I resolved to call and give you due warning of the vindictive sentiments which Miss Walters undoubtedly cherishes towards her seducer.” “I take it very kind of you, my good friend—1! am infinitely obliged to you,” exclaimed the milli- ner, “In the course of the week I will call and see Cardline—and I shall be able to trangquillixe her, If not, J must get her sent down into the country the moment she is well enough to leave gour house.” “That would be by far the best plan,” sald Mrs. Lindley; “or else,” she added, after a short payse, “ out uf the country altogether.” “Something of the kind, decidedly,” returned the milliner. “By the bye, Rachel Forrester will have to pay you another visit in the course of twu or three weeks, You remember that I hinted some. thing to this effect at the time when I introduce: Caroline Walters to your establishment.” “I never furget any matter of business, my dea: madam,” said the midwife, suffering her feature a area anes COMICOOOKS. 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