The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. the room? In fine, was she an intriguing adven- tureas who had feigned a desperate resistance with a view to enhance the charm, the value, and the excitement of an eventual surrender ?—or was she really a woman of virtue and character, summoning all her presence of mind to aid in crushing the arrogant pretensions which he had dared to proffer ? | With the more than lightning speed at which thought alone can travel; did these reflections gush through the mind of the Karl as he rose from his knees and fixed his looks in mingied amazement and doubt upon the incomprehensi- ble heauty. She moved towards an arm-chair— and as no followed her with his eyes and dweit on the awimming voluptuousness of her gait, his im- pare imagination at once suggested that a being of such glowing beauty and capable of exciting such sensuous rapture in the soul, could not her. self be indifferent to love's enjeyment nor inexpe- cienced in its Ways. Nurtured in the midst of fashionable profligacy and high-life demoralization, st was not astonishing if the Earl of Curzon at no cime entertained a particularly exalted opinion of female virtue ;—and on the present occasion his excited feelings and inflamed temperament, aided by his personal vanity and conceit, led him to imagine and to hope that the scene had inspired the lady with sensations alin to those that were thrilling to his own heart's core. She seated herself in the arm-chair;—and the 1 moment that her countenance was again turned towards the Earl, his eyes greedily and searchingly eought to read in her looks whether there was really a covert levity in her manner and a subdued wantonness in her breast. But as if she penetrated his design and scorned the imputation which it conveyed her features again assumed that look of sovereign hanteur which they had ere now put on end which had been so successfully practised in the mirror before the Earl's arrival. “Be seated, my lord,” she said, pointing with a queen-like imperiousness of gesture towards « chair at some distance from that which she had just taken. “You are a j © promounce my doom,” exclaimed the nobleman, as he retreated to the chair which she thus indicated. “But I im- plore youto have merey upon one whom your eharms have bound captive, and whom your deci- sion :will either elevate to elysian happiness or into the darkest despair.” “A truce to this extravagant poetising, my tord,” said Venetia, in a cold voice and with a dig- aified look. “You have already indulged in too many meaningless phrases and empty flatterics; and I am not going to answer you in the style of those pretty nothings which gentlemen and ladies toss from one to the other with so much elegant ease in the conversations of fashionable life.” “By all means, Miss Trelawney,” said the Earl, *iet the discourse become as serious as you will: for when the subject of love is solemnly dealt with, there is every hope for the impassioned lover.” “And your lordship, then, seriously and solemnly avows an affection towards me?” ob- served Miss Trelawney, with a look as calmly ee- date as her question was basiness-like and pointed. “On my soul I love you passionately —-I adore qoul” exclaimed the Eari, placing his right hand Qwest teem, ~w fumes ky upon his breast and once more making a movement ee ee ie ree aoe eae “IT accept your answer as a sober avowal and a deliberate affirmative,” said Venetia, with an im- perious gesture that commanded him to retain his eeat:, then, with an air of the calmest and fullest self-possession, she observed, “I presume that when your lordship sought my presence just now, instead of delivering the bird to the domestic at the door, it was with the intention of thos honour- ing me by a proposal of marriage ?” “ Marriage!” echoed the Earl, startled by a word the megtion of which seemed to imply a terrible miseonception on Miss Trelawney’s part, and at the same time involved himself in a most awkward dilemma as to the terms in which he must now ex- plain the views and hopes that had all along ani- mated him. “Yes—marriage, to be sure,” said the lady. “Have you not just made me an offer of asintelligibly as words could possibly convey such & proposal ?” “Marriage * repeated the nobleman, confused and bewildered. “Really, Miss Trelawney — we have been misunderstanding each other——Oh! my dearest Venetia, why tantaliee me thus cruelly” he exclaimed, in a sudden paroxysm of excitement: “why torture me——_” Bat he stopped short—amaged, if not positively overawed by the look of grand dignity and sub- lime indignation which Venetia bent upon him as she slowly rose from her chair. “Explain your meaning, my lord, when you dared to avow that you loved me!” she said, in a voice admirably befitting that imposing air. “Is it possible that you did not understand me?” he exclaimed, half in terror that the scene was genuine on her side—and half in hope that it was @ mere pleasantry to which she would speedily put an end by dissolving into smiles and sinking into his arms. “When an honourable man tells a woman of stainless character that he loves her,” was Venetia’s dignified response, ‘‘there can be no misunder- standing as to the meaning of his words.” “But wherefore—Oh! wherefore allude to those trammels which the world denominates marriage ** exclaimed the Earl. “ Wherefore——* “Stop, my lord !* said the lady, with another im. perious gesture. “Did you intend to proffet mar- riage to me—yes or no? Spare evasion—avold subterfage—and give me a direct reply in a mo. nosyllable.” “Marriage, my dear Venetia ——” “Your answer, my lord—yes or no?” “But I must explain -——” “Your answer, [say! Yes or no?"*—and while her countenance flushed with the richest, warmest glow, she stamped her foot impatiently upon the carpet. “Venetia, you cannot be ignorant of the fact that I am already married,” said the Eari,—* bat to a woman whom I do not love—whereas I adore and worship you! Oh! be not angry with me——” “Enough, my lord!” cried the lady abruptly s and her whole form appeared to dilate with the dignity of an offended, outraged woman — but a dignity which rather asserted itself through the medium of a withering scorn than a fiery indigua- | COMM ElOOO SS COMM