The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 249: what you’re looking at

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238 convenienced, as was the ease with those of whom we are now writing. The consequence of the delay wes that tho party ha! to proceed to the village inn, which was totally distinct from the post-house. As a matter of course some refreshments were ordered : but the Viscount Delorme expressed bis annoyance at the delay, as he naturally wished to get to the end of the day’s journey for the sake of the ladies, who he was afraid would be frightened to pass through the forest as evening approached, after the dread- ful tale told by Lord Octavian Meredith. “I will go and seo how jong these horses are jikely to be,” said the Baron De Margaur. “ And I also will endeavour to urge them on at the post-house,” said Lord Octavian Meredith. “TI beg,” observed the Baron, “ that your Jord- ship will not give yourself the trouble : the remon- strance of onc will be sufficient.” “On the contrary,” exclaimed Meredith, “ if they see that we are impatient they may perhaps hasten their arrangements to serve us ; for these delays are truly scandalous, when we consider that the laws do not admit the alternative of obtaining relays elsewhere.” * And yet methinks,” urged the Baron, “ that if I were to act alone in the matter, I might with more effect use that persuasiveness which is of a golden character :’—and he smiled significantly as he tapped the pocket which might be supposed to contain the purse. “ By all means do as you think fit,” said Octa- vian, with a ccurteous bow, which was as much as to imply that he renounced his intention of acoom- panying the Baron. “ Yes—I think,” said the notary, “that the Baron can manage the matter very well by him- self—the more especially as you, my lord, are a foreigner, to whom the postmaster might not be inclined to show any extraordinary attention.” “‘ Rest assured that I will do my best,” said the Baron De Margaux: and he issued from the room. Immediately after the door had closod behind him, Octavian said to Zoe, in a hurried whisper, “Engage them in conversation for a few minutes, so that they may not think my absence strange, nor immediately remark it.” Lady Octavian did as sho was desired; and her hueband stole forth from the apartment. “ Your friend the Baron,” said Zoe to the Vis- count Delorme, “appears to be even more impa- tient of this delay than you yourself are. He trusts to his powers of persuasion to abridge it as much as possible 7 “Yes, he is a man who is not to be imposed upon by these public functionaries,” answered the Viscount. “You have known the Baron a long time P” said Zoe inquiringly. “T first met him in Madrid abou’ three years ago,” answered the Visccunt. “ He was then en- gaged to be married to a young lady of great wealth and beauty, the daughter of an old Hidalgo. I know not how it happened—but the match was suddenly broken off : a great mystery pervaded the circumstance —and the Baron himself observed the trictest silence upon the point. It was however upposed by his friends that he had discovered omething prejudicial to the lady’s character, and THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. that he himself was the author of the rupture, While at Madrid, he rendered me an essential ser- vice: for one night, when returning late from s party at the residence of some French friends in that city, I was attacked by three or four raffians, who etrack me down senseless. When I returned to consciousness, the Baron was bending over me: he had saved my life from those miscreants: but unfortunately he had not come up in time to pre- vent them from making off with my pocket-book, which was full of bank-nctes. I¢ appears they were about to despatch me at the instant the Baron so fortunately made his appearance.” “That is a service,” said the notary, “which you can never forget.” “ Assurediy not,” answered the Viscount De- lorme. “We afterwards met in Barcelona: for f have travelled much in Spain, and have visited all the principal cities and towns. I resided for some months in the Catalonian capital; and the Baron was there during the whole time. We dwelt at the same hotel—and we were both alike sufferers from a piece of villany that was perpetrated in the establishment.” “ And what was that?” asked the notary. “There was some grand ecclesiastical procession one day,” continued the Viscount, “ which absorbed universal attention. The hotel where we resided was deserted by its inmates, who were anxious to behold the ceremony. When [I returned, I found that my trunks had been rifled of all their vala- ubles; and a considerable number of bank-notes had been taken from one of them. But my loss was comparatively trivial when I came to learn that of the Baron De Margaux. His trunks had likewise been pillaged, and he lost a sum three or four times greater than that of which I was plan: dered. Two or three other guests in the same esta- blishment were similarly served ; and it was there- fore evident that the thieves had mado the best of their time during the procession.” . “And were they never detected?” asitd the notary’s wife. “Never,” replied the Viscount. “On sipral subsequent occasions I have met the Baro: 9? Margaux; but there is one to which I must e% cially direct your attention, as we are Convers on the subject. The acene was at Naples ; and day I was invited by a foreign friend whom I m in that city, to accompany him to the rebearsa’ at the grand theatre La Scala. Thither w- accordingly repaired; and there I again met my friend the Baron De Margaux. Having listened to the singing, we remained to witness the bailet ; and as it was a new one, the director of the theatre had according to custom ordered the dancers to appear in precisely the same costume which they were to wear in the evening at the public per- formance. Amongst these dancers was one of great eminence: she came in her carriage—she was attended by a couple of lady’s-maids; and whether it wore out of vanity, or whether i¢ were for the purpose of consulting the ballet-master ag to the effects which would be produced by bedizen- ing herself with gems, I know not: all J can say is that this celebrated danseuse brought with her on the occasion a casket of the most magnificent diamonds. She did not however put them on for the rehearsal; and they were left in her dressing- room in the care of her principal lady’s-maid. COMME HOG cS)