The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

a —— LEEEEEE nl "But dre kifows your Royal Mighhess to be Mr. Haviepor Mr. Harle} to be your Royal High: ness —- whichever you choose?” exelaimed the milliner’. “Yes—yew: ull that she knows perfectly,” said the heir-apparénts “and 4 very ‘extraordinary. gir! she is. Gifted with ‘a remarkable spirit — great presence of mind and wonderfal courage, she can- defy, dare, and threatens Prinve. Nay, more— to my very fade she told me that she hated me.” “And yet ‘your Royal Highness ‘declares that there is no ‘danyer.f” cried: Mrs. Bruce, in a species of dDewilderment | “Not for the preset, I tell you)” exchimed George, who was a firm belidver in the Christian maxim’ Which says, Sufficiet unto the diag is the evil thereaf. “ Paulite will let me létrow very shortly what she wishes te to do'in her sivter’s riattet ;— and'#hen the’ tine cenies—why—then We'll think aboat it. You Know! din not a mae Who meets misfortane half-way: I hate anticipating evil ;— tis bad chown When it comes. And now, nfy deer Fantiy, [ must thank yot for the aid you have fen- dered me In ‘nty ‘sehvine respecting Lady Des- borough.” With these words, his Royal Highness irtpritted, a kiss upon the fips of the handéorne imifiiner; and, having once'mofe conjured her to be puntcteal at the place of appomtment, he sped back to the brilliant saloons where the dancing was going on with inciéeasing spirit. The Duchess of Devonshire had slrexdy retatmed thither; und the Prince was speedily by her side. « Whut wews, niy dear Georgiana ?” demanded he. 4@{ varnvt find Mrs Pittherbert fn ‘herapartmedhts,” answered the Duchess. “She fs fot there—and I am assitretl, in atiswer to the inquiries which I nade, that her servants have not seen her since the cont» mencemeént of the ball.” a'Very atrange!’ ejaculated the Piin¢e: then, in « calmer and far more indifftrent tone, he oBser¢ed, “But thee are phinty of otter rooms in Caffton Honse to which stre-could have refited for the pur- pose of enjoying her sulks ;—-and 1 shall not trowble myself further in the mistter. Thanks however, Georgtaha, to yor for yoor kindness in en@eavouting to seek ‘her” THe ‘Pritice tetnnined {0 cinvetedtion With the chatinitig afd sprightly Duchess for about teh mi- nutes longer-—at the exprration of which period he agtin qaiited the drilitamt saloons. py ww won CHAPTER LXKV. ANOTHER SCENE AT CARLTON HOUSER. . Tax Countess of Desborough had appeared .rsdi- antly beautiful to all eyes; but that carnation glow which suffused her cheeks witlrifs richest hue, was heightened by tlie conflicting émiotions that warred within her bosom, as well as by the effort which she made to conceal them. a fn the little leisitre which the excitemertt of the brilliant scene and the gay dance left ber Yo conimune with herself, she had vainly endeavoored to conjec- ture what could be the aim atid nattfre of the myste- rious warning given her by Mra. Brace, Was it possible that her frailty with the individual whom she knew as Gustavus Wakefield. and whom she THe MESTEM mi: eee el) already fovea with an earnest end devoted aflzstion, —was it possible that thic ttailty could be known, or ‘even utispedted! Amd ff not, teen how eould. her fair fame be memaced'?—and how could evil or daiuger’ be threatening her? Lastly, whatever were the porii, how happened it that Mrs. Braes, of all women.is the world, shuld be able and willing’ to resous her froin its conseqtences.? These thoughts swept, with whwlwind speed; many | Desbo- times through the brain of the Countess of rough duriag the evehtng:: but the oftenerthey te- chrred to her mind; the mote bewildering did they | seerhi--aitd the teas easy was it to hasard a cénjsetere upon -a single polls. Tortured with the crueHedt sgispense-- harawed with thie’ must painfal misgiving--et one néotnent foaxfal that sorte treschory was intended--at anwber experfenviiiy a-full revivel of confidence fe tie-sine verity of the milliner,now trembling lest the Prinee of Wales tiimeslfuhould be at whe bottom of the | whote affsir—then reastarig herself with the argu- ment that lie would never dare to devise urty plot:or perpetrate any outrage against her beneath hie vwn roof aad on suvh an ‘odcasien as the present, one time resolving’ to treat the thing with centempt--a& another deciding upon keeping the appeintment,— now painfully revalling to mind the milliner’s former miseonduct and Guplivity—then eturting at the Tes colleetion of thesviemmn atid impressive manner fy which the warning was givon;.-thus, torn’ with o thoesahd. conflicting wettinrents, the Countess of Desborough knew wot hew te act. At length—-whien etill undecided—her eyds ene countered a timepiece: the lands merked mide night! ° Rapidty sweeping her looks afound, she saw that her Dussand was coaveteing at a distance with some other nobenien—that the Dachess of Devonsitite was talking to Pawline Clarendon and Fiorime- and' that the Princess Sophia wae engaged With o grotip of ladfes fa another quarter. For the first time during the evenisg did the Cottrttese, therefore, now find heredif eo entirely alone, as it wére—amiést the brifliant Throng — tat she’ could escape without being pevouived ftom ‘the: salooris. Should she go?--aloald whe keep thetppolttan? ‘Yes: ah ittvincible feeling urged Ker Yo adop the affirmative course for lier dvitstieice, thakivig a voward of hér th dne'semse, ptomnpted herto hastetwed learn the niatute of the petil Which threatetied her. Behold her issuing forth trom the getyecus salooris. "TWere ave wérvarts Un the fandiwg—m tee ante-chambers: but what-‘of that? Sire muy be golttg to the toilette-roorn or to Mrs. Fitsheriet¥e apattments. It doés fot, therefore, seem strange that shte-shdulé dius Wave left the saloons—-alome! The is ghined:: Heftly and: rapidty she threads it. ‘Mrs. Brace is waiting for fer at the end. ‘The titillinér' places her firiger with mysteriods sighificance hipoh her-lip—and hastily throws -open-e door. Eleanor ‘crosses the thréshold : the dost clver noisetessty ‘behind het. | Sat, without. ving Mat she isdidtie--ine deed, fancying that tite rhiiliner és -followiny Her. she trikvétsés & ‘Smilll @ete-chambe? lighted bye Narhp-hefd in the hahd’ of an slabastor steftue. Am ‘door faces tet: sheushdsitatingly converts tive ‘apartaiéent scarcely has with "which it comtrunieates; — bat. she crossed She threshold when thls ' \ COLT NOOO) ‘SS CO