The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

8&9 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. me to live with this husband of his choice a day, accompanied by a very handsome young Frenchman, nor an hour, nor a minute. On the contrary, he | who spoke English perfectly, and whom he intro- stipulated as a part of his proposition, that we were | duced to me as the Marquis of Villebelle. So I was to separate immediately after the ceremony and see | to become a Marchioness! This did not however each other no more. When I had recovered from | flatter my pride in the slightest degree: for I cared the astonishment into which this proposal had thrown nothing about artificial rank and the nauseating me, I speedily reflected that it was one which, | blazonry of titles. Nor did the agreeable person nevetheless do well to accept. To person who was | ypon my heart; and notwithstanding his good about to leave a situation with only a few pounds in | looks, his graceful bearing, and his elegant maa- her pocket, and utterly uncertain how soon she could | ners, I remained perfectly willing to carry out the procure another—without any known friends, too, | Baronet’s conditions to their utmost limit, and se- in the whole wide world—the offer of five thousand | parate from my intended husband the moment the pounds was magnificently tempting. Indeed, it was | ceremony should have been performed. Besides, [ a temptation too brilliant and dazzling to be refused. | should have loathed myself if all in a moment I I therefore speedily made up my mind to accept the | could have made up my mini to fall into the arms “ offer. But having no very high opinion of Sir Johp | of a man whom I had never seen before, and whom Marston's integrity, I insisted upon receiving the | therefure I had not been led to love. money before I would conclude the strange bar-{ ‘Well, to procoed with my narrative. Wo pre- gain. He told me that the moment the ceremony | parations in the shape of apparel were made for was over I should have to sign a certain paper | this singular wedding. The white veil, the virgin without reading its contents, and that the object dress, the orange blossoms, and the bouquet, were which he had in view would not be answered unless | all wanting. I was well but plainly attired, and I affixed my name to that document. He there- | with no one single indication that I was about to fore proposed that immediately after the ceremony | become a bride. Indeed, the other inmates of the and previous to the signing of the paper, the money | hotel remained in perfect ignorance that any such should be placed in my hands. Tothis I consented; | ceremony was contemplated. Sir John and Lady and Sir John Marston then told me that in a couple | Marston, Mrs. Lloyd, the Marquis of Villebelle, and of hours the bridegroom would bethere. Ireturned | myself, entered a carriage hired for the occasion, to my own chamber, and he immediately issued ' and proceeded to the British Embassy, where my from the hotel. hand was duly united in marriage to that of the “When I was alone—the children being at the | French nobleman. The chaplain, who solemnized time with their mother Mrs. Lloyd—I reflected ; the rite, gave me a certificate, which I secured about upon the step I was about to take. That Sir Juhn my person. We then returned to the carriage, and Marston had some deep selfish purpose to serve, | drove back to the hotel. There I at once took leave there could be no doubt: but what it was, seemed . of the Marquis, and repaired to the room where Sir impossible for me to fathom. If I rejected his pro- John Marston and I had held the conversation three posal, how should I better myself? If a large sum | hours back. In about twenty minutes he joined of money were due to me, and he only meant to me, accompanied by an elderly French gentleman, pay me a part, what measures could I take for ob- dressed in black, and whom he introduced to me as taining the whole? where was I to look for the aNotary Public. This functionary produced several source of such money? to whom was I to address papers, and requested me to show him the marriage myself for information or complaint? I was pro. certificate. I did so: whereupon he filled up a foundly arxious to escape from the thraldom of a couple of papers attesting that this certificate had governess’s life; and bere was alittle fortune within been exhibited to him; and one of these duplicates my reach. All things considered, and all the cir- he handed to me, bidding me keep it. He thea cumstances being well weighed, I resolved to perse- produced another document, of which he likewise vere. Thus making up my mind with coolness and had a duplicate, and which set forth that for certain firmness, I maintained a remarkable equanimity reasons of a delicate character, known only to the of mind,—experiencing no nervousness, nor anxicty, persons interested, a separation hai beon agreed nor excitement. I looked upon the whole affair as a upon between my busband and myzelf,—I retaining purely business-transaction, and was prepared to go all rights over whatsoever property I might be en- through with it in that sense. titled to. These papers I had to sign; and one of ‘It was a little after nine o’clock in the morning them was also left in my possession. Next the no- when the interview between me and Sir John Mars- tary produced a still more elaborate document, and ton had occurred: it was about half-past eleven theo Sir John Marston, interposing, said in French when Lady Marston and Mra. Lioyd entered my that ‘the Marchioness of Villebelle was already chamber and bade me accompany them to another acquainted with ite contents, and it was not neces- room. They knew what was about to take place, sary to read it.’ I was very much inclined to demur and spoke to me encourayingly on the subject. to this: but Sir John threw upon me a look which They were evidently fearful that I should retract seemed to say that I was completely in his power my promise: and they addressed me in termssicken- as to the five thousand pounds; and not knowing ingly fawning and coaxing. I gave them to un- but that I might have really been so—and indeed derstand that I required no such show of false more than half fancying I was—I held my peace. friondship on their part—that I had made up my Thereupon Six John drew forth his pocket-book, mind how to act, in order to serve my own views— counted down the amount of five thousand pounds und that if by s0 doing I served their's at the same in French bank-notes, and placed thom near me. [ time, it was through no love that I bore them. Soon signed the document, over which a large piece of afterwards Sir John Marston made his appearance, biotting-paper was thrown so that I could not cateh “Rea” ~ wv GORMIGOOOKS |