The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 257: what you’re looking at

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43 THE MYSTERIES the utter obscurity and in the depth of the night— in a bed-chamber, with a young and no doubt besu- tiful woman—a situation in which most men would have envied him. But his own high principles of honour and integrity—his fidelity towards Louisa Stanley, amounting positively to a devotion and a worship — and likewise the generous and manly considerations which he experienced on behalf of a young, eccentric, but heroic being whom circum- stances had thus so suddenly thrown in his way— ali these combined at once to raise him as it were above the embarrassment of his position and render him superior to its awkwardness, perplexity, and be- wilderment. “Miss Linden,” he said almost immediately, “I am far more distressed on your account than on my own, that this enterprise should have experienced so sudden a check, after all the anxiety, toil, and fa- tigue which you have undergone.” “Ob! that is nothing—nothing, Mr. Loftus,” she said,“ provided success will smile upon the under- taking to-morrow night.” As she thus spoke our hero could jadge by the sound of her voice, the slight rustling of her silk dresa, and the gentle tread of her footsteps, that she was approaching towards him: and in a few mo- ments he felt a hand laid gently upon his arm. “You are endowed with an extraordinary cour- age,” he observed, by way of response to her last observation. * Yes—it is indomitable, so long as it is sustained by the ¢€xcitement of the enterprise,” answered Laura: “but a reaction soon comes on—and then, alas! I melt into all a woman's weakness, Guide me to a seat, Mr. Loftus: for a sudden faintness is coming over me,” she murmured in a tone of tremu- lous entreaty: and at the same time she clung to our hero with her warm naked arms, as if to prevent herself from falling. Jocelyn hastened to conduct her to the chair which he knew to be nearest: and she sank upon it like one overc.me by physical and mental exhaustion. “ This veil euffocates me,” she said, with that netulance which appeared the characteristic of her disposition: “thank Heaven, a pitchy darkness prevails at this moment—#0 that I caa take it off and breathe fresh air !°—then by the sound which met his ears, Jocelyn knew that she was removing the veil from her head. “Now give me a giass of water, Mr. Loftus,” she said, after a few moments’ pause. He felt his way to a shelf on which a decanter and glasses stood: and filling a tambler with water, he returned to where the lady was seated. “Place the glass to my lips,’ she said, in a faint and dying tone, so that Loftus became very seriously alarmed lest she should swoon outright. He hastened to comply with her request, and by raising the tumbler to her lips, enabled her thus to imbibe the cooling beverage. “Enough, enough,” she murmured, in a voice that Was now scarcely audible: and her head drooped completely against Jocelyn’s breast, as he stood close by the chair in which she Was seated. “ Heavens! what can I do for you, Miss Lin- den?” he inquired, now truly perplexed and most cruelly bewilderered. “Nothing, nothing—I shall be better presently,” = -_ a ~~ |= Qe EE BOC ee ee Oe wen OF THE COURT. audibly than before: “it is a passing indisposition —Ilet me repose for a few minutes upon your couch, and then I shall be so far restored as to be enabled to creep back into my own room.” As she thus spoke, she clung to Jocelyn in suck a manner that he was compelled to raise her in his arms, and sustain her — indeed, we might almost say carry her—-towards the couch. But these attentions he bestowed upon her with as much tender delicacy as a brother would exhibit towards a well-beloved sister: and it might havo also been with that sisterly reliance on her paré which present circumstances were so well calou- lated to inspire,—it might have been, we say, in that same and unsophisticated spirit, that Laura Linden herself clung so tena- ciously to our hero. As all events, full certain was it that her round plump arms encircled his neck—hér fall and well developed bust was in the closest contact with his chest—her head lay droopingly upon his shoulder—and her whole form was yielded up, as it were, in the utter abandon. ment of exhaustion and faintness, as a sleeping child is borne in the arms of a father. He felt her warm cheek against his own—her fragrant breath fanning his face—her silky tresses commingling with his own hair: and as she heaved quick short gaspings, like half-suffocated sobs, the firm bosom palpitated with rapid undulations agaiost his breast. Thus, had there been aught of grossness or impurity in his imagination, he must have yielded to such exquisite temptations: for as- suredjy that position was seductive enough to melt the stoicism of an anchorite or vanquish the virtue of an angel. Gently depositing Laura Linden upon the couch, Jocelyn inwardly hoped, by everything solemn and sacred, that she would not fall off into a complete swoon, but would speedily recover. He remained standing by the couch, in that same brotherly spirit of readiness to minister any attention that might be required: nor could he very well have retreated, even had he been so disposed—for the lady, apparently with the nervous tenacity of one whose ideas are thrown into confusion, had caught hold of his hands and retained them clasped in her own. “Do you feel better, Miss Linden?” asked Jocelyn. “Yes—much better, I thank you,” she responded, pressing his hands as if in gratitude to her bosom. “You have been kind—very kind to me,” she mur- mured in a tremulous tone: “no brother could have been kinder or more affectionate ;”—and she: imprinted a kiss upon the hand whieh was nearest. to her lips at the moment. Jocelyn started perceptibly at what seemed to him an uncalled-for manifestation of a too tender gratitude: and the next moment Laura suddenly abandoned the hold which she had upon his hands, exclaiming, “I feel so much better now, that I will return into my own room. Bat you mast assist me to pass through the * she added with that musical vibration of tone, which showed thas she was smiling at the idea. Rising slowly from the couch and in a manner which seemed to indicate that she was still weak and feeble, Miss Linden felt her way towards the op-ning ia the wall — Jocelyn following close behind GOnMGoOO | be said, still very faintly, bat somewhat more her. After three or four vain and ineffectual en- | SS CO