The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 209: what you’re looking at

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

e THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Id6 and being made after the most approved fashion of the day, it was cut ao low in the body as to leave the ahouldere entirely bare and reveal so much of the bust that the imagination had but little trouble in filling up the remainder of the glowing picture. She was not above the middle height, though a little taller than Emma: but there was more dignity in her gait than in that of her sister—and the sta- tuesque carriage of her neck and shoulders gave her bosom, naturally fine, the grandest development. This she know full well: and hence ber selection of a drees which displayed her charms to the most vo- luptuous advantage. But she threw over her shoul- ders a gauze kerchief—thus flimsily veiling the beauties which, witb all the accomplished artifices of coquetry, she really intended to be seen. Mra. Ranger, Emma, and Jolia sallied forth toge- ther; and Agatha returned to the sitting-room, where Jocelyn had remained. The moment she made her appearance in that seductive manner, her aim and object flashed to the mind of Loftus; and, though his looks betrayed not his sentiments, he inwardly experienced a mingled pain and disgust at this too brazen evidence of a deep depravity. For an instant he was inclined to abandon the self-im- posed task of reforming the three sisters as utterly hopeless; but then the feeling of pity for their un- happy destiny returned to his soul—and, likewise remembering his pledge to Mary, he resolved to pro- secute an undertaking which was nevertheless ac- companied by so many incidents that shocked his upright character and wounded his generons heart. Tbrowicg herself with a voluptaous negligence upon a sofa, she darted a lool all vibrating with desire upon Jocelyn Loftus, who, taking a chair near her, paid no attention to the studied bat ap- parently involuntary diaplay of charms and fasci- nations the artillery of which was now directed ¢ him. ‘* Miss Owen,” he said, ina calm but serious voice, and without looking at her, “I purposely sought the opportunity of this interview.” “Indeed!” she murmured, her heart suddenly beating with transport at what she instantaneously took as an avowal, and which seemed at the moment | to promise hera far more easy victory than she had expected : and the colour came and went in rapid transitions upon her very beautiful countenance. “I have behaved with some little duplicity towards you,” continued Loftus, still keeping his eyes averted: “butthe moment for serious explan- nation is now come.” “And why should they be so serious?” asked the young lady, in a low and tremulous tone the tenderness of which at once struck Jocelyn and convinced him that his prefatory remark had been entirely mistaken. For suddenly turning his eyes, in mingled amaze- ment, pity, and pain, upon Agatha, he saw that the kerchief had fallen away from her shoulders, and that she was leaniog towards him with all the nude display of ber luxuriant charms and with a profound wantonness in her looks. “Misa Owen,” he at once exclaimed, turning aside with an impatience almost amounting to dis- gust,—“let us understand each other. It is purely aad simply upon a matter of business that I pro- pose to address you; and the explanations I have to give are of a very serious character, I can assure you.” ees ariel ee . ape mom “Bat I am in no humour for serious discourse, Mr. Loftas,” said Agatha, in a tone of vexation: and as the blood rashed to her cheeks, she bit hee lip nervously. “Whea 1 tell you, Miss Owen, that I am ac- quainted with your sister Mary,” observed J ocelyn, “you will perhaps condescend to listen to me.” “Ah!” ejaculated the young lady: and, the keenest interest being suddenly excited in her mind, she mechanically drew the kerchief over her shoulders, as if abandoning, at leastfor the moment, her waoton designs upon Loftus. “Yes—I have seen Miss Mary Owen,” he con- tinued: “and she has told me all—everything ! It was by no accident that I fell in your way at Calais, and that I became your travelling .compaa- ion to Paris. 1 purposely sought the opportanity to form your acquaintance, inthe hope of being enabled to point out to yourself and your two sisters the lasting dishonour that will attach itself to your name if you persevere in the course where the moet fatal influences have placed you. For if you re- gard the matter in its true light, you will perceive— you cannot fail te understand, indeed,” he added emphatically, “that you are taking part in a stiock- ing conspiracy to ruin the peace and destroy the character of a lady who never injured you. I allade to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales |” “Heavens! that little traitress, Mary, has in- deed betrayed us!” cried Agatha, now seriously alarmed, and totally losing sight of all the sensuous thoughts which a few minutes before were upper- moet in her imagination. “Bat where is she, Mr. Loftus ?—how came you to fall in with her?” “The day after she quitted you at Woolwich, Miss Owen, did I encounter your unhappy sister in the streets of London: and you may rest assured that she is not only in a piace of safety, but also in honourable companionship. I am comparatively a stranger to you,” added Jocelyn, with some little significancy: “but I leave you to determine whether from the first moment of our acquaintance the day before yesterday, you have seen aught io me that would warrant « suspicion against my princi- ples and my honour. Jam young,” he continued, —*" perhaps too young to undertake a portion of the task which I have imposed upon myself, and which is the awakening of yourself and your sisters to a sense of the enormity of that service wherein you are embarked. Bat I cannot think—no—I dare not entertain so vile an opinion of human nature, as to suppose that you will designedly, de- liberately, and systematically undertake the ruin of a Princess who has already suffered so much. I beseech—I implore you, Miss Owen, to weigh the matter weill—to pause—to reflect—to decide on the score of justice, honour, and hamanity. You have not yet compromised yourself too deeply to with- draw from this atrocious service. Pardon me for using harsh terms and strong language: but my indignation will not permit me to speak in a milder tone.” “What do you advise—what do you wish, Mr. Loftus?” asked Agatha, nervously excited and scarcely knowing what she said. “If you would abandon the service in which you have embarked,” exclaimed the young man, enthu- siastically, “I would love you as a sister !” “Ah! that is but after all a cold expression,” murmured Agatha, with a tone and look of reviv- la > aa pe SS _Z, —_—E eee CY COMME MOO CO