The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 117: what you’re looking at

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4004 TUB MYSTERIES gensations were exercising their beatific influence upon William Deveril, Florina was likewise busied with kindred re:lections: fur she felt that whatever barriers might spring up in the way of hor union with him whom she thus loved, that still her love would never be impaired, but if there were & pos- sibility of its increasing, it would acquire freah power in the presence of every difficulty. Nor less could she avoid contrasting this handsome and elegant young man with the insipid-luoking and self-sufficient youth to whom her relations sought to sacrifice her. Indeed, carried away by the curredit of these reflections, she could not help giving audible utterance to them—thereby breaking a lony silence, during which she and her lover had sat gazing iu mute rupture upon each other. “T feel that I have been too docile, too obedient,” she observed, in a low aoft voice. “I have listoned with even a servility of which I am now ashamed, apd with a meekness wherein was absorbed all the proper spirit of a woman, to the representations of OF THE COURT. I~, = eeeeeD stauces that might arise from Fiorina’s resulve tu renounce the coronet of Saxundale and bestow her hand upon the youug artist. But, as in all such cases, there seemed to be a tacit yet mutually adopted understanding that for the present their love should be concealed from all the world— that it should remain a secret sacredly treasured up in the sanc- tuaries of their own hearte—and that they should trust to thechapter of accidents to throw up circum- stances in their favour. Thus ever is it with those who love in opposition to the wishes of relatives and friends; fur there is a timidity in love which condemns the heart to keep it secret and forbids the ‘lips to proclaim it boldly, even though the resolve be deeply taken that this shall be the only love thas can lead to marriaye. After exchanging a fond embrace William and Florina separated,—tho former taking his doparture from Lady Macdonald’s mansion, and the latter remaing alone to enjoy the luxury of a solitude in which she could ponder upon all that had my aunt Lady Macdonald and to the injunctions of | pasael. my brother Lord Harold. I never ought to have given an affirmative reply to the suit of Lord Saxon- dale! But while I, on the one hand, was submit- ting to the control of an aunt and a brother, he on the other hand was acting in accordance with tho counsel of his mother : for I now understand it alli— this alliance was projected and arranged between the two families, in utter disregard of what my own feelings might be! But, Oh! I am nut to be disposed of in this manner; nor will I suffer all the brightest and choicest flowers of my heart's spring- time to wither in the sickly atmosphere of society's eonventionalisms, nor be crushed beneath the heel of an aunt’s or a brother’s despotisin.” As Floriua thus spoke, her beautiful countenance became flushed with excitement—ber nostrils di- lated—hber eyes flashed brightly—her lips ourled with devision—and her busom swelled proudly. Nover had she appeared to Deveril’s view eo truly handsome, so transcendingly lovely, as at this mo- ment when asserting the spirit of a young damsel who felt that she had been coerced, but who had re- solved to emancipate herself from the shackles of do.nestic tyranny. The reader may rest assured that little progress was made in the drawing lesson of that day : never- theless William Deveril remained the full twv hours CHAPTER XXV. A 8@TRANGEB SCESR We have ecen that William Deveril had called at Lay Mavdonald’s mansion precisely at mid-day tc give a drawing-lesson to Lady Florina: but we have also seen that it was a leseon in love that was mu tually taken, aud that two hours had slipped away almost unnoticed by the lovers. It was therofons two o'clock when Mr. Deveril issued from that man. sion: and at this hour he ought in pursuance of his engagement to attend at Saxondale House t> give lessons to the Hon. Misses Juliana and Constance Farefield. But how could he possibly think of these two ladies when the lovely and beloved Fiorina filled his heart with her image? Mechanically however he proceeded towards Park Lane; but as he mado his way through the streets, he had no cyes for the ever-flowing tide of that hu- man ocean which pours its unceasing floods through the groat thoroughfares of the metropolis; nur had he any ears for those multitudinous sounds which indicate the bustle, the activity, and the vital ener- gies of the modern Babylon. All his powers of which he had at first been invited tostop. Is it ne- |} vision as well as all his faculties of thought were cessary to enter into details as to how this interval was passed? or can not tho reader picture to him- self all the tonderness of that scene which followed the mutual confession of love? There were long periods of silence, during which William and Fio- rina sat together, their hands locked, and their spirits blending in the raptured gaze which they fixed upon each other: then there were intervals of soft and tender discourse, during which vows and pledges were renewed over and over again ;—and the time flew away 00 rapidly that the two hours | had passed ere the lovers awoke from their dreamy concentrated inwardly—absuorbed in the delicious contemplation of Florina’s image which was io pressed upon his heart. In this mood did be reach the vicinago of Sax dale House: but instcad of presenting himself there, he entered Hyde Park and ruved about for some time, abandoning hiwself to those dolicious reflec- tions which naturally sprang from the scene de- scribed in the preceding chapter. At length ho re- collected his engagement at Saxondale House. Ho looked at his watch: it was half-past three o’clock. What should he do? It was doubtless too late to bliss to the conscionsness that time was passing at | give the Hon. Misses Faroficld their losson: but all. would it not appear pre-eminently disrespectful not At length Deveril rose to take his departure. to call, offer an apology, and ascertain whether it Nothing had been eettled as to any future course | would bo their pleasure to take their losson on the which they were to pursue: they had been tov much morrow? absorbed in the happiness of the prosent moment & be able to give serious attcntion to the circum- Deciding upon this course, William Deveril beng his way Saxondale House, and was immediately DOO (CO