The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 127: what you’re looking at

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114 “T believe Mrs. Owen was never married?” said the Prince, inquiringly. “Never,” responded Lord Leveson. “But are you not acquainted with her early bistory, and that | of her sisters f” EE aE eS OE ai EO ES Ee a “Not entirely, I think,” answered the Regent. ‘You have often been going to tell me: but eome- thing has always occurred to interrupt the narrative, even when you commenced it.” “Oh! it may be sammed up in a few words,” said the Marquis. “There were four sisters of the name of Halkin: the eldest was called ia, the second Anne, the third Melissa, and the fourth Lilian They were left orphans at an early age—with a very moderate income for their joint support—and they lived somewhere in the neighbourhood of Rochester, I believe. The eldest, Lydia Halkin, is reported to have been a virtuous woman: but she was the plainest of them all, the other three being remark- able for their beauty. Anne, the second sister, be- came the mistress of my cousin, Mr. Owen, to whom she was faithful enough, I fancy. The off- spring of their amours was the four girls: and Mr. Owen died when they were young, leaving Anne but ' indifferently provided for. She was a woman of the , world; and I helped her to take the handsome aoe —-— eee = ea house where she has so long resided at Richmond. An intimacy which she formed with a Bishop, and which was of course conducted with the utmost secrecy and circumspection, kept her afloat in a pecuniary point of view; and when the Bishop died, he left her a little money. So much for Anne, the second of the four Halkin sisters. By the bye, it is somewhat odd that she who belonged to a family of four sisters, should herself have four daughters.” “ Well, proceed,” said the Prince. “ What be- came of the other Miss Halkins ” “The third, Melissa Halkin,” continued the Marquis, “formed an intimacy with that Sir Archi- bald Malvern who disappeared in so strange and mysterious a manner three or four months ayo——” “What! has he never been heard of since” exclaimed the Regent. “I knew him—he was a good fellow——” “He has never been heard of for the last three or four months, I can assure your Royal High- ness,” said the Marquis. “His son Valentine, whom I saw a few days ago, is still overwhelmed With grief and uncertainty relative to his father: and although Lawrence Sampson, the Bow Street officer, has been employed to unravel the mystery, no clue has been obtained to Sir Archibald’s fate. But as I was telling you, sir, Melissa Halkin, the third sister, became the mistress of Sir Archibald when he was quite a young man: and there were children issuing from the connexion, 1 believe— but Iam not sure. Mrs. Owen does not like to talk of Melissa, who died early and under painful circumstances. But I know not what they were. The fourth sister, Lilian Halkin, became the mis- tress of a young clergyman whose name J never heard—or if I did hear it, I have forgotten it. One thing is however certain, that she was involved in some trouble relative to the sudden and mysterious death of her illegitimate child by this clergyman: and I think she was even committed to gaol and tried for the murder—but I am not sure. Neither do I know what has become of her, nor whether ae is alive or dead. I believe that Mrs. Owen is equally ignorant on the point—for she and Lilian were never on good terms with each other. Me- lissa was Mrs. Owen's favourite sister——” “ Well—buat what became of the eldest Miss Halkin—the virtuous one, as you called her?” in- quired the Prince of Wales, considerably in- terested in the narrative of the four sisters. “¥ cannot say. Mrs. Owen herself is completely ignorant upon this point. Years and years have passed,” continued Lord Leveson, “since she heard anything of her eldest sister, whom she therefore believes to have been long since dead. And now, sir, you are acquainted with as much as I myself have ever learnt relative to the Halkin family.” “It is a strange narrative,” said the Prince. “Bat I mast sow take my leave of you Leveson. By the bye, to-morrow is your day for waging the warfare of love in respect to Venetia——” “Bat I shall of course abandon my tarn,” re- marked the nobleman, with a slight embarrass- ment of look and hesitation of manner,—“ after the explanations which have taken place between us ] “That is precisely the course which I expected you to adopt,” said the Prince of Wales, who did not notice the singularity of mien on the part of Leveson. His Royal Highness then took his leave; and the Marquis remained alone to ruminate upon the disappointment which he seemed destined te ex- perience with regard to Venetia Trelawney. CHAPTER XXXIL THE MEETING AND THE SECOND SEPARATION. It was a little past nine in the evening; and the beautiful Louisa Stanley was seated by the bed-side of her afflicted aunt, who was sleeping profoundly. Lights were burning upon the table near the couch 5 and Louisa held a book in her hand — but her thoughts were fixed upon Jocelyn. It was Tuesday morning that he had left Canter- bary—and he had promised Louisa that his absence would not probably be more than three days: at all events he had expressed his certainty that it woald not extend beyond a week. This was only Thurs- day evening—and she was wondering whether he would return next day, or whether the morning’s post would bring her a letter announcing the exact period when she might expect him. In the middle of her reflections the sounds of an approaching vehicle met her ears; and as she listened with a sort of presentient eagerness and hope, she heard the chaise drive up to the garden gate. “It is he!” she exclaimed, flinging down the volume: then, with a glance at her relative to assure herself that the afflicted lady still slept, the young maiden hurried from the room. The servant girl who had likewise heard the chaise drive up, was already hastening to open the gate ;—but Louisa sped past her—and in a few mo- ments the affectionate being was clasped in the arms of her lover. “Dearest, dearest Louisa ” exclaimed Jocelyn, as he pressed her to his bosom. “You are returned safe; heaven be thanked !” murmured Louisa, her gentle heart Auttering with ineffable emotions of chastest, purest joy. COME OG ee ae ee a —————— ES CO