The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

92 “Yes,” said Zoe to herself, “it was naught but the imagination ! The discourse I held with Rachel —the circumstance of conducting the girl to her own chamber—and the vivid conjuring up of the legend I had heard in the morning,—these were the causes which operated upon my mind, enfeebled perhaps somewhat by care and indisposition. Yes— truly it was naught but fancy on my pert!” It was Rachel’s turn to take the morning daty at the toilot of her mistress; and when the abigail entered the chamber, she found Zoe more cheerful than she had been for some time past: for such was the natural effect of a relief from superstitious terrors. Not another syllable was exchanged upon the subject; and Lady Octavian proceeded to the breakfast-parlour,—where she found Clarine, and where M. Volney speedily made his appear- ance. Zoe could not help thinking that there was a certain dejection in Clarine’s looke—a certain despondency which she was endeavouring either to throw off or to conceal. Lady Octavian studied well the countenance and manner of her French friend—but without appearing to do so. She felt persuaded in her own mind that there was really something which hung like a weight upon Made- moiselle Volney’s spirits; and now she asked her- self whether Clarine could have also seen some- thing to excite her superstitious terrors ? CHAPTER CII. M, VOLNBY. The weather was beautiful; and soon after breakfast the two ladies walked forth together. Zoe now perceived that Clarine was more pensive than even while at the breakfast-table—or at least that she struggled less arduously to veil it,—pro- bably because she had been most anxious to conceal her feelings, whatsoever they were, from her father’s observation. “‘My dear Clarine,” said Lady Octavian, at length, “ there is something preying upon your mind ?” Clarine gave the sudden start of one who cherished a secret which had just been surprised— | or rather the existence of which had just been detected, though the secret itself remained still locked up in her own bosom. She glanced with an air of anxiety towards Zoe—then bent down her looks—and said nothing: but tears gushed from her eyes. “ My dear friend,” continued Lady Octavian in the kindest manner, “ you yesterday assured me that if for my own sorrows a friendship could afford a balm, I possessed your’s. It is now for me to reciprocate the assurance. See! here is the very bank on which we sat down yesterday when I gave you the complete narrative of my own causes of grief. Let it to-day become the scene of that confidence which you will repose in me? I will not so far insult myself, nor insult your own good feeling, Clarine, by saying more than simply to remark that it is from no motive of mere idle curiosity I ” “I know it, my dear friend~—I know it !” mur- mured Clarine: and then from her lips escaped a gush of mental anguish which she could not pos- sibly keep back. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Lady Octavian Meredith said whatsoever she could think of to console her friend : but ignorant as she was of the sources of Olarine’s woe, it was difficult to shape her words in a form calculated to convey the solace she would fain impart. “ Yes—I will tell you what it is that thus afflicts me,” at length said Clarina “It wasa tale I heard yesterday—Jast evening ———~” “ After we separated for the night?” inquired Zoe in surprise: “ for until that hour, my dear Clarine, methought that you were in good spirite —and all the more so on account of your father’s kindness in respect to the piano ?” “ Ah! my poor father !” murmured Clarins, in a voice of the profoundest melancholy. “Good heavens, what is i¢ that you can have learnt ?” exclaimed Zoe. “Was it some revela- tion which old Marguerite may have taken it into her head to make ?”—for her ladyship could con- ceive no other source whence Clarine might have received any such revelation after the hour for re- tiring to rest. “ Yes—Marguerite—it was Marguerite!” said Clarine, hastily. “ But I will tell you, my dear Zoe, what I have learnt! <A veil has fallen from my eyee—and I have obtained an insight into the past which has most cruelly afflicted me!” The young lady paused for a fow moments: she was evidently ling to compose her feelings as much as possible ; and at length she addressed Zoe in the following manner :— “ My father in his former years was of a very | different disposition from what he now appears to be. He was gay and sprightly—he loved society —though he never was dissipated nor irregalar in his conduct. On the contrary, he ever bore the highest reputation for moral worth, honourable behaviour, and lofty feelings. He possessed a very dear friend of about his own age, and of a somewhat higher standing in society. This was the Viscount Delorme,—the bearer of an ancient title as well as the possessor of great wealth. They had been fellow-students together at college —they made the Continental tour together—and though no bonds of kinship united them, yet was it a more than friendship which held them to- gether—it was a true fraternal love. The Vis- count Delorme has been described to me as one of the handsomest as wellas the most elegant and fascinating of men. He married a young and beautiful lady, who died in giving birth to a son. The Viscount was inconsolable for her loss: he shut himself up in his own chamber—my father was the only person whom he would see. His health suffered; and his physicians earnestly re- commended that he should travel, in order that change of scene might have a salutary effect upon his spirite, My father offered to accompany him —and for this purpose to postpone the alliance which he was about to contract with the object of his own love. Such a circumstance may afford you, my dear Zoe, an idea of the strength of that friendship which my father experienced towards the Viscount—a friendship which would even have led him to sacrifice, for the time being, the con. summation of his own fondest hopes. «Bat the Viscount would not hear of it; and in order to escape from my father’s well-meant importunities that he should accompany him, Delorme took his departure suddenly and etealthily, without leaving GDoo <S co