The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 133: what you’re looking at

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TT ea nena 130 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUR. eo + oe we oe eee OO Burnaby; so that I did net hear what. they said last? I eel her that I had yuften and often When their conversation was done, the gentle- man led us along a passage into @ magnificent room, where he left us. There were a great many pictures in that room—some representing male portraits with crowns on their heads and eceptres in their hands; and having seen little wood-engravings of similar portraits in the Hie- tory of England out of which I learnt, I asked thought of her—that I had cried at night when re- membering how she had wept over me—and that I had often dreamt I saw her bending over my cpuch and looking kindly upon me. Oh! how fast her tears fell as I told her these things;—and she was such a beautiful lady! I loved her so—and I felt so happy when she strained me in her arms and embraced me! On this Mrs. Burnaby if those were not likenesses of oocasion she kept me with her for several hours; the'same kings that were depicted in the book. | and it was evening when the gentleman of whom I But before she gave mo any answer the door ; have spoken came to fetch me away. The lady ap- opened, and that lady whom I had seen at the man- peared almost frantic at parting from me; and I sion in the country, made her appearance. She | recollect that she exclaimed more than once, ‘ Poor shook hands with Mrs. Burnaby, and catching me up in her arms, covered me with kisses. She was beautifully dressed, and looked much better than when I had scen her lying in bed. Then she was boy! perhaps I shall never see thee again !—I cried very bitterly: for I felt that I should have liked to live with that lady altogether. She cut off a lock of my hair; and then having embraced me sick and ill, and very pale: now she had a fine again and consigned me back to the care of colour on her cheeks. I recollect perfectly well ask- the gentleman of whom [have spoken. The carriage ing her whether sho was my mamma? But in- | wasin readiness ata side-door ; and as I was whirled stoad of answering me, she pressed me again to her away from that mansion, I folt so truly unhappy that bosom, and her tears mvistened my cheeks. On my young heart seomed as if it would break. The this ocvasion I was not more than half-an-hour with gentleman said little to console me; for although her; und as Mrs. Burnaby took me away again, wc he was not exactly cross, yet he was reserved and met in the passage that same gentleman whom I distant. We travelled for a few hours, and at Lad previously seen and who had the star on his. ong: woppest af an hotel in some town, where we breast.” | passed the night. On the full. wing morning our “ All this is very singular, my dear Frank,” eaid : journcy was resumed in the carriage, with post Juliana, who listened with a deepening interest to | horses; and in the middle of the day we reached the youth's recital. “Proceed: I am dying to hear ! Southampton. It was here that my sister was at the rest {” echool; and I was to be placed at the same esta- ‘ About ten months after the incident I have just | blishment. But here I should explain that this related,” resumed the young page, “poor Mrs. | academy was kept by a gentleman and his wife, Burnaby met with a severe accident through a | who divided it into two branches—the former con- fall; and after a short illnees she died. I wept | ducting a boys’ seminary, and the latter a school very much, for I loved her dearly: but the servant- for young ladies, they having two large houses woman told me that Mrs. Burnaby was not my which adjoined each other. It was in the male de- grandmamma at all—and indeed no relatiun. I re- member that the young woman looked very sly and knowing as she told me this, and bade me mot mention what she had said to anybody wno might come to the cottage to superintend the funeral. I thought it very strange, and put some questions to the servant which were naturally suggested even to my young and inexperienced mind: but she would tell me nothing more—or per- haps she knew no more to tell. The day after Mrs. Burnaby’s death, that gentleman whom I had seen with a star upon his breast, came to fhe cottage; and the first thing he did was to open the deceased lady’s desk, teke out all her papers, and examine them. Some he burnt—athers he put in his pocket : for I was in the room the whole time. I stayed in the house till after the funeral, which I remember was very plainly and privately conducted ; and then the gentleman of whom ] have spoken, came and " partment of the academy that I was placed. My sister, who was now sixteen, and whom [ had not seen for two yeare, had grown wondruusly: she was a fine tall girl, and looked indeed like a young wo- man. She had not previously been informed of Mrs. Burnaby’s death; and when she now learnt it, she was much afflicted.” “ Had your sister hitherto believed that the good old lady was a near relative?” inquired Juliana. “ Yes,” returned Francis; “and she was much amased when I told her what the servant-woman had said to me upon the subject. At that school my sister remained for four years longer, and there- fore till she was twenty: but during the latter pose tion of the time she was there as a teachor or assist- ant, for which she was peid a regular At the expiration of that period she was told by the schoolmistress that a situation had been found for her as governess in a family about to visit the Con- took me away with him in a carriage. We pro- | tinent ; and with many tears were we thus compelled eeeded straight to that same mansion in the coun- , lo separate. I remained at the academy until I try where I had seen the lady for tho first time ; | was sixteen, passing all the holidays there, and never and shere I was again conducted imto her presence. | being visited by a single soul in the shape of relation She was scated in a splendidly furnished apartment, or friend. So I suppose that I had no relatives with those two other ladies who were by her bed- | eave my sister—and no friends in the world !” side on the former occasion; and these two ladios ‘Poor Frank!” murmured Juliana, as the having caressed me, quitted the room with the gen- ' youth’s voice sounded low and plaintive to her ears. tieman, leaving me alone with the lady. dite tory bec ep ivelatert treated during the time >?” eight ycars old. She asked me if I recollected her? | “ With that negative sort of kindness which is no and when I replied in the affirmative, she inquired kindness at all,” he answered. “That is to say, [ if I had ever thought of her since I had seen her was not ill-treated—I had enough to eat and drink, wey ei tee GOnMGIOO (G SUE SEREEEE RARER EERE SS (CO