The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “JT will be with you punctually at ten o'clock,” said Malpas, deriving no small consolation from the manner in which Emmerson seemed disposed to treat the affair. They then took their departure trom Mrs. Gale’s establishment. % % * a # * * * * * Meantime the Earl of Curzon had been lounging in a restless manner upon the sofa in the dining- room in Grosvenor Street, or else pacing uneasily to and fro like a chafing lion in his cage: and every now and then ho had recourse to the wine- decanter. But instead of soothing his agitated thoughts, the juice of the grape added an artificial stimulant to that natural excitement which was torturing him; and though his spirit was so rest- less, the time hung insupportably heavy upon his hands At length the time-piece upon the mantle struck ¥ resolved to go up to her boudoir and either induce her to join him at the supper-table, or else remain and converse with her in her own room. But as he was ascending the stairs he met Gertrade face to face. The beautiful girl had laid aside her bonnet, veil, and cloak—and she could not help encountering the Earl’s looks. A smile of ineffable archness and mischievous meaning appeared upon her pouting lips, as she thus met his gaze: but she was hurrying past him when he once more caught her by the arm and held her firmly. “You have not breathed a word to your mistress f*’ he said, in a hurried whisper. “No, my lord—not s word,” she replied, with a singularly wicked and roguish look. “ But you deserve that I should have shown you no merey after your rude treatment.” “I know you will pardon me, pretty Gertrude,” he said. “ But why would you not speak to me eleven ; and a few minutes afterwards the carriage | just now on the landing. drove up to the front door of the house. The Earl composed his features as well as he was able, and went out into the hall to meet his wife—for he felt anxious to have some conversation with her, al- though he had not made ap his mind what fo say, or how to turn the wished-for discourse upon any topic which might suit his own purposes. But he was in one of those humours when a man of 6x- citable temperament must have his say, even if for no other end than to pick a quarrel and find an issue for his pent-up spleen. “} hope you have passed a pleasant evening,” he said, accosting the lady, as she was hurrying through the hall, enveloped in the handsome cloak and with her thick veil drawn over her countenance, just as he had seen her when.entering the carriage at half- past seven o'clock, “ Hey-day! what does this mean?” he exclaimed petulantly, as she swept abruptly past him—flitted up staire—and: disap- from his view all in a moment. With another cause for ill-humour, he was return- ing to the parlour when the sounds of light footetepe and the rustling of garments met his ears: and look- reund, he caught a glimpse of the cloak of the pretty lady’e-maid, as the wearer was also hastening up the marble-staircase. The Ear] hurried after her and overtook her on the landing. “ Gertrude,” he said, catching her by the arm and speaking in a low rapid whisper, “ for heaven’s sake, do not mention to your mistress what occurred just now :*—and as he uttered these words, he strove with piercing looks to penetrate the thick veil which was also worn by hea,whom he thus addressed. But.breaking abruptly away from him, and with- out a syllable of reply, she bounded up the next flight of stairs. “ Perdition seize the women,” muttered the Earl to himeelf, aa he slowly retraced his steps to the dining-room. “ What the devil possesses them both ? My wife sweeps past me in the hall as if I had the plague—and Gertrude breaks away from me on the landing as if contact with me were contagion. Then this mania of wearing their veils up to their very bed- rooms, as if they dared not look a man in the face!” And the Eart walked to and fro in the parlour with uneven steps and agitated f He waited ten minutes in the hope that his wife would come down previously to retiring for the night: but as she did 20¢ make her appearance, he “ Why, my lord!” echoed the abigail: “ because I heard other footsteps upon the staire—at least I thought so—and likewise because I was afraid her ladyship would be angry with me for staying out so late. I was ordered to be home by half-past ten —and it was after eleven when I got back. The carriage drove up to the door just as I was descend- ing the area-stepe.” “And where had you been, Gertrude f” inquired the Earl, thinking that the lady’s-maid was not so cruel after all, inasmuch as she now conversed with tolerable freedom and apparent good-humour. “J passed the evening with my parents, my lord,” she replied, looking however as if she felt annoyed by the question: “and it was with the permission of her ladyship,” she added pointedly. “ Which is as much as to say that I have no right to inquire into your movements,” observed the noble- map, affecting to smile. ‘Come, tell me candidly— are you very, very angry with me for my conduct of this evening ~” “Let me go, my lord, and I will tell you,” said Gertrude. “ Now, then—you are free,” observed the Earl, as he let go his grasp on her arm. The lady’s-maid flung another look of unspeak- able archness upon him, and flitted down the stairs with the speed and lightness of a spirit. “The little minx!” muttered Curzon to himself “ But she is not quite such a prude after all—and she shall yet be mine!” The little interview with the lady’s-maid, being of a more satisfactory nature than his two former attempts to engage her in conversation, put the nobleman into a somewhat better hamour-~espe~- cially as he had received from her lips the assurance that his conduct was not reported to his wife. For, although he had not on previous occasions been equally solicitous to veil his i ities from her knowledge, he did not wish to appear ridiculous in her eyes as having met with so mortifying a rebuff from her maid—nor was he desirous that such a cir- cumstance should reach her ears at the very time he was seeking for proofs of her own suspected infi- delity. One weight was therefore lifted from the Karl's mind: and now, becoming capable of calmer rea- soning than for the last two or three hours, he saw the impossibility of as yet making any positive COMME OG CO