The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 278: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES. implore:you—-by that friendship which I mow prefer you and whieh I ask you to veuckssf me ia re- arn een 9? “Fear set, dees lady, that [ shall ewer breathe a werd calanlated to give yeu offence,” interrupted the Countess of Desborough: then, without deigning -even to natice the Prince ef Wales, she said, “ ¥ou will have the kindness te acc.mpany.me back to the bali rooms; so that, if my absence has been per- eeived, it may be supposed that [ have been in your socicty dusing: the interval.” “ Cestainly,” exclaimed Mrs. Fitsherbert, instantly recognising the pradenge of the atep thus suggested ; ‘then, taming towards the Prince of Wales, she. said in a cobd tone of reproach, “ Have you a0 epelagy to offer to this. genevous-hearted lady ¢"’ “The Countess of Desberoagh will accept none at my hands,” said the her-epparent, doggedly. “It were a mesembiec affectation on my part— ‘indeed, it would anagunt to a plese of aycophancy of which I am utterly ineapabie,” observed Eleanor, “ were I tedeciare that any apelogy, hewever humble, qoml appease the mdaguation whieh I experimes On that head, therefore, my dear Mrs. Fitzherbent, let ao more besaid. Henesforth the Princeef Wales wil treat me with :cerememious courteiy — and I | shall behave towards him with reserved and cold respect, Let sach be the understanding; and on that condition, I shall never breathe a3 word relative j #0 the incidents of this mgit. And it will be the | fault of his Reyzil Highness,” ake added significantly, “if I do not carry the seeret theseof to my grave.” | “J understand your ledyship,” said the Prince, assuming 2 stern aad haughty air: “but be wet! ! assuved that, after evesything which has passed in a =< “ED. + Vaan Pp Were ei -e.e ——aD 2 @ 6 ep this chamber within the last half-hour, | am now. led a yeu aa cordially as ever I felt interested in rn The hatued of yeur Royal Highnese will prove | much mere tolerable to me.than your love,” ex- claimed Kleanes, the nattzral pride and dignity of ber sex dictating this cutting taunt. | And the Prinee felt the withering earcasm wai writhed aader tt—~although ke aflected to ture aside and hum an opera-air. But, Oh! fer Asa—the worshipped, idolized, and deified keiv-apparent to be | thus treated with indifibrence—for Aim—the hand- ' someat man and moet fascinating gentleman im | Exrope to be: thus spurned as it-were by that in- dignant and haughty bat acble-minded lady,—Ob! it was intolerable ;—-and the very.tame which ke af Sected to hum, hissed between his lips like a reptile’s eraving for vengeance! But, without waiting to observe the result which her retort had produced, the Countess of Desborough anlocked the. door-—tiwrew it open--and made way for Mrs. Fitzherbert to pase, ‘But thie lady whis- pend, with a half-smnile, “ Rermember that [am not 2 Fe en etal the Countess accordingly went ‘forth: first, Mra. Fita- herbert fellowtng eloee behind. The ante-chaarber was traversed, and Sleanor was abeut to open the outer-door, when the Prinee-of -Wales suddenly exclaimed, “ Stop fer a single me- ment |’ The twe ladies paused accordingly: but Mr. Fitsherdert only turned towards him. And it was to her that a sudden: idea had proinpted him to utter a few words. ' ¢ You are about to seek agaia the company whom ee eee to be known by you as the Pranceses of Wales ;”—and 267 I have invited to Carlton louse this evening,” he said, ma a low and impressive tona “ Now, it either becomes necessary for me to retarn amongst them also~-or fer you. to circulate a rumpeur of sudden in- , disposition asa plea for my absence.” “And wherefore can you not return to the ball- seome—presently ?' demanded Mra. Fitsherbert, in a cold tone, and with a strong emphasis upon the last word, as much as to imply thet he must not i think of offermg to accompany herself and Eleanor, aa has presence would net be otherwise than dis- ~pleasing te the latter, “Yeo—I-will retaryn presently,” said the Prince,— “sf I am sesared that I shall net become the focus for your angry looks,” ould you have me-very amizble towards yon ft" demanded sin Fitsherbert, in a tone of bitter irony. “Oh! yeu deserve it ——” “ Perdition !|—begone—leave me!” ejaculated his Royal Highness: and retreating, in a towering rage, Into the bed-chamber, he slammed the door -vio- lently. . “Come, dear Lady Desborengh,” said Mrs. Ficz- herbest,. sxsretsing wonderful command over ber feelings: “we mast saunter back to the ball-rooms ‘with eeuntenances as serene and smiting as if no- thang wensual had occurred. It may be that some ef my friends have been to seck me in my own ‘apartmenta—and wa-will therefore say; if questioned, that we have visited the picture-gallery. By the — bye, that young ledy whom you introduced this overing is a-eweet pretty -oreahrre,” observed Mrs. Fitxherbert, casting a rapid and-esearching glance ot Hleanes’s countenance, inorder to ascertain if there had been any particular motive in presenting Pauline Clarendon to the Prince. “She is not enly beautifal—bat-as amiable and wertuows an size islovely,” said the Countess. “In a few weeks she will become ‘Lady Florimel.”’ “ So much the better,” thought Firs. Fitzherbdert “ for the Prince-wae certainly strucec with her.” *° - Bent she did not dreathe these entiments aloud ;— | amd Bow the two ladies once more entered the glit- tering sphere ef beauty; rank, and fasision. Mrs. Pitzherbvert’s iemmate knowledge of the Prinoe’s would net return to the ball-rooms again that night, -~but that he weald retire to his own apartments and Grows his disappointment, rage, and humiliation in the betthe.er the punch-bow! :-sie accordingly spread the report that his Royal Highness had been seized with a sudden indispositioen; and the enterfatument therefore broke wp-at an earlier ‘hour then it would etherwine have done. CHAPTER LXXVIL A STRANOB VISITRESS.—A WELCOME PROPOSAL. Tus scone new changes to Mr. -Clarendon’s house ia Cavendish Square. It was about half-past:ten o’cleck in the morning ~—beeakfast was ever—and the father, leaving his two leveby daughters in the pariour, retired to a room whieh: had been fitted up as his library or sturty. Mr. Clarendon’s coantenance has already been described as thin, sallow, aud having an indelfbdle stamp of melancholy traced upon its lineaments; bet it now apeeared actually care-worn and expressed CORNICE OOO enabled her to judge that he f