The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

wwh MYSTERIES OF THY couKtTr “Excellent! ofanmed the Prince. *cuunt you chuose to give the officer, you keep my name out of the question.” “Asa matter of course,” replied the Marquis. “And also that if you discover a clue to the reading of the mystery,” added the Prince, “you will not avail yourself of it to obtain the lady as your own mistress.” “I pledge you my honoar, sir, on that point,” rejoined the nobleman. “But since you are so evamoured of this syren in the gossamer dress, your Ruyal Highness will have no heart left to be- stow upon the beauteous Venetia Trelawney.” “I really dun’t think I shall,” said the Regent: “and if it weren't that we have made a cuinpact and that there are six thousand guinea» tw be yot “ You would abundou your chance?” cried the Marquis, eagerly. “1 think I should,” responded the royal volup- tuary. “But I will out pledge myself on that poiut, because ——” * Becanse the impression produced by the lady in the gossumer costuie may wear off ?? observed the Marquis. “No - that is impossible !” exclalmed the Prince. “But because there would be sumething deliyh. ful and entert iniug wo a deyree in triuvmphing over quch men vs Curzuu, Huutingdon, Adaipas, Sack- ville, and yourself.” * Will you make a bargain with me, sie asked Levesun, at the expiratiun of a few minutes gi- lence. “ Name it,” said the Prince Regent. “Ir 1 succeed in obtaining fur you your lady in the y ssamer dress, you will abandon to me all your cnanuces of success with Veuetia Trelawney,” explained the nobieman:- “and shuuld | earry vif the prise through yver assistance, | undertake to hand over the alk thuusallu guiueas to your Koyal Hiyhuess,” -% But nuw can I possibly put you in my place,” demauded the Prince, “ »uppusing that | du aval myself uf uy tarn to call uu Venatia, and sappus- iug alsu that she shoald look with a favourable eye upuu wy addresses?” “Leave that to we,” sald the Marquis. “ Only promise to tell me everytaiug that passes between yourself and Veuetis—auu if you should succeed iu making au Unpressivu vo her and iuduciug her tu ounside: yuur prupveals for her to-becume som wistress ——” “J will sulem ily and moredly pledge myself to teil you word tur word, aid detail for detail, all that passes between us,” said the Prince: “ and I will assist you co the utmustuf ny power to obtain pussesalon uf Veuetia — —— always supposing, as a usatter of course, that I experience any enovurage- ment on her pa.t.” “Good!” exclaimed the Marquis. “ And in re- turn I will do all { cau to throw the gossamer lady iutu your arms unce more.” “And this agreement must of course remain profoundly secret between yuu and me,” observed the Prince, “ Uadvabted)y so,” replied the Marquis of Leve- son. And as the carriage contiuaed to roll onward at @ ruaid rate. tun o7-ts Leaduu, the Priuvee Ke cent ng wn Nothing could be better!” ex- | aad his noble friend beguiled the time in discussing “But mind that in whatever | the projects which they had thus initiated. CHAPTER [Xu LOUISA. Re10RN we now to that beautiful cottage in the neigh- bourhood of the ancient city of Canterbury, where we first introduced the Stanley family to the reader. Louisa, the younger sister, has already been de- scribed as one of those charming creatures whose winning grace and amiable simplicity, while ravishing the heart of the beholder, encourage n0 other feelings than those of the purest, tenderest, and holiest cha- racter. Unless, indeed, it be a heart that never beats eave with a frantic violence of the grossest aniinal passions: but dread, terrible, and ferucious to an extreine must be the nature of that nan who could dare to harbour a dishonouring hope or a vile intent with respect to such a being as Louisa Stauley. She wa» but little more than nineteen years of age,—s0 young, so fair, that it seemed as if heaven could never permit either time or sorrow to trace one line upon the frank and open brow of that love- tiest of its creations. ler whole form: was cha racterised by girlish symmetry and womanly ele yance, so blended as to coustitute alike the grace and the giory of her nineteen summers,—virgin modesty subduing as it were the radiance of her beauty, aud basuiul timidity serving as a natural veil fur that loveliness the perfection of which was oot dreamt of by herself. It would be impossible to conceive a more heavenly being, alike in forin aud mind. She was not tail— but the sylphid slenderness of her shape made her seem taller than she really was. And though of this nymph-like symmetry, she was not thin, but of exqu'site proportions—her figure being characterised by tbat gradual aud easy transition between all the con- toursand by that beautiful softness of outline which realise the matohiess graces of Grecian statues. Tue impression her appearance left upon the mind was that of exquisite beauty without the faintest tinge of vu.uptuousness : and lovely though she were, yet dia site seem loveable only with au ssthetic teader- ness wnt @ chaste affection—not with the ardour of sensual passion or the fervid longings of desire. La a word, she was just such a being concerning whom the wish would be expressed that she might reuain io. her virgia purity and maiden inuocence for over ider dark brown hair was parted above a forehead thut looked the chosen seat of candour and where chastity sate enthroned in vesture of stainiess white: and thé long tresses, giossy and smooth as veivet, formed as it were a frame for the charming counte- nance. Her complexiou was fair—the chess nut exactly of a rose colour, but vi au aulwated white, so that without beiug absolutely pale, they wore of the delicate bloom which deepens only through emotion or exercise into the vermeil of the peach The well-cat lips, of bright coral redness, showed that she had tue health of youth: sweet lips they were too—not luscious with senauality of expressivg —but formed for the smnice of iuecent musth and the kisses uf cuastest love, ‘The delicately pencilled but arehing vrows—the deey biue eyes, frirazed with CONNEC MOO