The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

48 trict of Wapping. It was, then, in the eastern quarters of London that the den existed where he Shad been imprisoned; but were he asked to re- trace his steps from the point he had now gained to the place whence he had escaped, the endea- your would have proved utterly abortive. His course was, however, at present clearenough; and in about three quarters of an hour he emerged upon Tower Hill. There he was fortunate enough to discover a hackney-coach, which set him down at the George and Blue Boar just as the thousand clogks of the metropolis were striking three. CHAPTER XIV. LORD FLORIMET We must now return fo the establishment of Mra, Brace in Pall Mall: for while the scene already related was taking place in one room between Mr. Harley and Octavia Clarendon, an incident of some importance was occurring in another. It was nine o’clock on that memorable evening —the young ladies in the employment of Mrs. Brace were busily oocupied in consigning the caps, ‘ponnets, and dresses to band-boxes and drawers, preparatory to the closing of the shop for the night -—end the worthy mistrees of the establishment was superintending these proceedings, when a servant entered from the interior of the dwelling- house and gave her some w red information. “ Ah! Lord Florimel!” ejaculated Mrs. Brace, in an ander tone; and she forthwith hastened to her own private sitting-room at the back of the premises. It was a small butelegantly furnished apartment, -all its arrangements being quite consistent with that good taste which we have already noticed as pervading the toilette of the lady herself. Vases filled with artificial flowers—a few good pictures in handsome bat not gaudy frames—a French timepiece in or-molu—several little ivory statues, six or eight inches high, and exquisitely carved— and a book-case containing the standard works,— these constituted the principal ornaments of the room. A cheerful fire blazed in the grate—and the wax candles shed their lustre upon the rich crimson draperies attached to the windows. Lounging negligently in an arm-chair, tapping his boot with the end of his slim gold-headed cane, and with his eyes fixed listleasly upon the time- piece, was a young nobleman whem we must par- ticularly introduce to our readers. Lord Florimel—for that was his name—had only a few months previously succeeded to the family titloand estatesin consequence of the sudden death of an elder brother; and although he was still dreased in mo his attire was of the most elegant description. But he needed no adventitious aid to enhance the natural beauty of his person. For beautiful he indeed was,—not handsome— but with that cast of countenance for which Grecian women are so justly celebrated. -He was scarcely two-and-twenty years of age; and a razor had never touched his cheeks, which had all the damask and peach-like loveliness peculiar to the softer sex. His complexion was singularly fair, clear, and stainless: his nose was small and per- fectly straight ;—his lips were red and full, and his tecth briiliautly white and faultlessly even. His neck was long and gracefully turned—his cars remarkably small and delicate. He wore his rich chesnut hair flowing in &® wavy mass over his shoulders ; and asit was parted with great precision above the high afd open forehead, its arrangement completed the feminine appearance of the youth- somewhat by the long and slightly curling fringes of the deepest jet which served as a veil to temper the ardent expression of those splendid orbs. Instature Lord Florimel was very short fora man, though he was above the middle height of woman. His form was slight—but his symmetry was com- style of beauty: it wae clearand melodiousasa flute, sounding deliciously as that of a lovely woman to the ear. His conversation was moreover drop a guinea into the hand of the poor mendicant who appeared to be a worthy object for relief. . He was unmarried, and likely to remain so : for the idea of linking himself to one woman was, {a his estimation, something too dreadful to contem- plate. Possessed of immense wealth, and with no parents nor elderly relatives to advise him, he devoted all his time and all his thoughts to the pleasures of love; and, extravagant in nothing else, he lavished large sums upon these objects of his desires. Mrs. Brace—the accommodating Mra. Brace—was a very uwseful person to such « character as Lord Florimel; and of the dozen young ladies in her perviee at lena two-thirds phantasies of this nobleman. “Well,” my dear friend,” said Florimel, half- rising from his seat and immediately sinking back again, when Mre. Brace entered the room,—" I am come to consult you as usual. You seo before you a man completely dependent upon your kind offices to procure him a little variety in the sphere of Venus; for I can assure you that during the last ten days, I have not either in my walke or drives, a single face that has excited a new emotion in my breast.” “Your lordship is greatly to be pitied,” ob- served Mrs. Brace, with a smile. “Pitied!” he ejaculated: ‘Iam indeed. But per- mit me to tell you, my good friend,” he continued, his eyes settling upon the milliner’s ample bust, a considerable portion of which was exposed by the low corsage that was then in fashion,—“ permit me to tell you that you are looking quite delightful this evening. One would scarcely belicvethat you couli be geven-and-twenty ;"—Florimel knew she wasforty ;—“for your complexfon is arfectitecie Hant—your teeth are like pearle—your eyes fiash ‘fires—yee, fires most wanton and seductive at the ee CORNICE OOO ‘SS 6 -- ee CO