The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 234: what you’re looking at

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

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Upon that grandly de- veloped bosom did the eyes of the royal volup- tuary settle: and at the same instant Ernestiua, affecting still to remain anconecious of his pre- sence, and with half averted countenance, began to touch the strings of the instrument. She was an acoomplished musician —and the harp gave forth such sounds that ravished the ears of the Prince. The melody stole softly and sen- suously upon him, in unison with the voluptuous feelings engendered by the beasteous form on which his eyes rested. The very warmth of the room and fragrance of the atmosphere increased this melting effect, dissolving all his soul into an ineffable tenderness. He stood like one en- chanted: his pulses thrilled—the colour deepened upon his countenance—his eyes swam in passion’s liquid fire. It seemed as if some unknown para- dise on earth were opening to his comprehension at a moment when he had little expected that any sach blisefal de ent was in store for him. And now, gradually did the lady tarn her coun- tenance in such a way towards the harp, that he eaught her profile with that half-vanishing effect which Rembrandt loved so well to depict upon his canvass: and as the light, borrowing a roseate tint from the hue of the crimson curtains which shaded the windows, fell apon that faultless pro- file, the Prince started with = sudden recollection. Bat the lady still affected to peroeive him not— and at the instant that he thus started, she made the splendid instrument give forth such a glorious volume of gushing golden melody that he was again struck motionless and transfixed with in- - effable rapture. But now he studied that profile intently: he marked also the glossy light brown hair—the high and polished brow: He saw the long silken lashes he observed the dark eye flashing beneath—he traced the outline of the aguiline nose, the well- eut lips of vivid scarlet, and the softly rounded chin. Then again did his looks settle upon the grand exuberance of the bosom that was now heaving visibly—white as snow, but warm and glowing to the eye: and then his looks once again travelied upward to the face which was gradually turning more and more towards him. The sea- shell pink which naturally belonged te her com- plexion was now g into the rich carna- tion hue: the blush gradually descended to her neck—thence iteelf over her bosom ;— and the longer the Prince gazed, the more con- vinced did he become that his lips had giued themselves in im kisses to those glowing eheeks—that his hand had pressed and his head been pillowed upon that heaving, swelling bosom TATE, TN INN 20 —and that the entire form had lain palpitating with love and desire in his arms ! Slowly now did Ernestina raise her head and turn her eyes towards him,—those large lustrous eyes looking up full into his, and swimming with that oriental languor which he had observed and which had ravished him before! Aye—and he was no longer uncertain nor in doubt as to where and when those seductive looks had previously shed their elysian influence upon his soul: and falling , on his knees at the lady’s feet, he exclaimed, “Heavens! are you my lovely unknown—unknown no longer—but Ernestina Dysart f “Oh! then you are not angry with me, beloved Prince ft” murmured the syren, flinging her snowy arms around his neck. “ Angry with you—impossible!” cried the royal voluptuary, straining her to him even as he knelt, and covering her warm and glowing cheeks with passionate kisses. “ Bat what means this mystery f’’ be exclaimed at length, rising and taking a chair by her side. “Are you really Lady Ernestina Dysart, the niece of my friend Leveson?—and if se, what meant that scene of mingled outrage, mystery, and love which characterertised the night of our first acquaintance f°’ “f will tell you everything in good time, my dear Prince,” answered the lady, as she lavished upon him the tenderest caresses with an appearance of the fondest affection. “ But whatever the ex- planations may be, promise——” “I can promise anything—everything—to such a charmer as you,” interrupted the Prince, his head already turning with blisefal rapture, as on tife night at Beechey Manor. “Ah! how rojoiced [ am that we have met again!°—-and he devoured her cheeks, her neck, and her bosom with his burning kisecs. “ But tell me what you bave to say—and then—and then—talk to me of love, only of love!” “ Listen patiently if you will, and attentively if you oan, for a few minutes,” said Ernestina, with s smile of such delicious archness and with a look of suck wanton meaning that a lava-stream of flerce and fiery passion boiled in the veins of the amorous Prince: for her lips revealed rows of pearl and seemed to breathe the ambrosial fragrance of para- dise, and her glances went with an electric influence to his very heart's core. “ Let me pillow my head here,” he said, reclining it upon her shoulder: “and now I am all attention.” “In the first place, then,” she resumed, “you must know that I am really that same Ernestina whom you have named, and that the Marquis of Le- veson is my unele. Before I married that wretched being, Dysart, and when I was living beneath this roof, my uncle would never allow me to mest your Royal Highness when you called. He took every precautiou to prevent me from being seen by ou-——" “Ah! the sly dog,” murmured the Prince: “he knew that to behold you would be to love you. But goon, my dear Ernestina—go on.” *¢ Moreover,” she continued, “he weuld never permit me to attend any balls or parties at which you were likely to be present—and.he invariably found some excuse for not introducing me at Court. After my marriage—my unfortunate, unhappy, hated marriage-—=" COUMIC NOG) cereus et aA SS CO