The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 135: what you’re looking at

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124 “JT know not, sir,” responded Sagoonah, in a low soft tremulous voice, “whether to sink down . at your feet and speak as a slave—or whether to look you in the face and with the dignity of a woman address you.” “These are strange words,” said Mr. Redcliffe, gazing intently upon the ayah in the hope of fathoming her purpose by the expression of her countenance. “You speak of slavery: there is none in this country—at least not that species of slavery that you are thinking of. Even if there were, I should not claim euch homage from ou 99 ™e Ah! but, a interrupted Sagoonah, “if there be no slavery that is enacted or confirmed by law, there may nevertheless be a slavery in which the feelings or the passions enthrall the individaal !’’ “What mean you, Segoonash ?” ejaculated Mr. Redcliffe, who now appeared to catch a slight scintillation of the real truth: but the next in- stant he repudiated the suspicion from his mind as something preposterous or impossible. “What mean you P” he re The ayah advanced a little nearer towards him : there was a moment's flashing of her brilliant burning eyes; and then the next instant they were curtained by her ebon lashes, and her looks were downcast. For a moment too it appeared as if she were really about to assert that womanly dignity of which she had spoken; but that as if she found it impossible to be maintained against the influence of other and softer feelings which were agitating within her. “Mr. Redeliffe,” she said, in a voice that was again tremulous, “I would fain consult you upon a point which closely and intimately concerns my happiness.” “But why not consult your kind-hearted mis- tress P” inquired Mr. Redcliffe. ‘She, Sagoonab, is the most fitting person to be made your confi- dante, and to proffer you such counsel as may be necessary under the circumstances.” “Oh, no, sirl” exclaimed Sagoonah: “ my mis- tress is the very last person whom I can con- sult |” “ And it is equally impossible that you can con- sult me,” said Mr. Redcliffe coldly: for the vary- ing confusion, hesitation, and embarrassment of the ayah—a moment's dignity being succeeded by roinutes of tremulous bashfulness, and by a visible diffidence in coming to the point,—all these served to strengthen the suspicion which had previously entered the mind of Mr. Redeliffe. “Jam a stranger in a strange country,” con- tinued Sagoonah, now throwing a deep pathos into her tone; “and yet you refuse to become m counsellor—my adviser! Ah, sir! if this be the harbinger of that extreme cruelty whith I am to experience at your hands when the revelation of my secret shall be fully made——” “Listen to me, Sagoonah!’’ interrupted Mr. Redcliffe: and though he now spoke peremptorily, yet it was likewise with a certain degree of kind- nese: for ho felt that after all his suspicion might be 3; and being utterly without vanity or self-conceit, he could scarcely fancy it was correct. “It is not seemly for us to continue in conversa- tion here: both your character and mine would suffer if we were observed. I do not mean to address you in harsh terms: but you are now at THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. once to understand from my lips that without far- ther hesitation on your part must you proceed to the communication you have to make to me Unless indeed, Sagoonah, you would rather that we should separate at once, and that we should both forget the occurrence of this private inter- view.” “Forget?” ejaculated Sagoonab, almost in accents of bitter socorn—not at Mr. Redcliffa him- self, but at the icea asshe had caught it up. “ For- get? No—it isimpossible! Never can I forget aught that is connected with you! And now you have my secret,’ she exclaimed, for a moment flinging her burning regards upon him: then, as the next instant they were again cartained by their dark fringes, she added in a low voice, “I love you!” Mr. Redcliffe first felt inclined to give vent to expressions of anger and indignation; and this he would assuredly have done if dealing with an English woman who sought to set herself up as a rival to Queen Indora and tempt or beguile him away from that plight which he had made her and from that troth by which he now considered him- self so solemnly bound. But a second thought made him reflect that it was a Hindoo woman who stood before him—one who belonged to a distant and different clime—whose thoughts and whose notions were as distinct as the habits and customs of that clime itself from those of Western Enu- rope. Instead therefore of displaying anger or scorn, Mr. Redcliffe considered it alike more pru- dent and more generous to reason with Sa- goonah. “TI will not pretend,” he smd, “to doubt the seriousness with which you have made that avowal, inasmuch as I cannot for a moment sup- pose that you would stoop to such miserable trifling. But it is impossible, Sagoonah, that you can entertain the slightest hope———” “Hope, sir?” she murmured. “Love itself is hope! Of one thing I am certain :—you love not | Queen Indora, although you have promised to espouse her! Then wherefore may I not hope that you will yet learn to love me?” “If I were to tell you, Sagoonah,” replied Mr, Redcliffe, with a deep mournfulness in his tone and a profound compassion in his looks, “ that the power of love is dead within me, you perhaps would not understand my meaning. But let me address you on another subject. What is your ageP Youare in your twenty-sixth year—with all the vigour of youthfulnese—still young and I do not mean to compliment you when I say that you are beautiful. I am three or four years past y| forty: but through care and grief my appearance is that of a still older man. Whateoever personal beauty I may have once possessed, is gone———”” “ You forget, sir,” interrupted Sagoonah gently, “that I have known you for many years yea, from my very girlhood have I known you! Was I not from a child brought up in the palace of In- derabad P—and think you not, thérefore, my me- mory retains your image as I first knew you P—so that even while I now look upon you, I fail to ob. serve whatecever ravages time or other circum- stances may have wrought upon you. ‘You were the first European whom I ever beheld; and therefore from my very girlhood was there all the interest of novelty in my mind; — and is it NOOK (G a ee ee (CO