The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 261 The old man did as he was bidden; and on quit- ting the house, he bent his way direct to an attorney of whom he had some little previous knowledge. Mre. Oxenden, having thus dismissed her. hus- band, retired to her toilet-chamber, to dress for her afternoon's ride in her magnificent carriage. She opened the casket containing the splendid dia- monds, and contemplated them with satisfaction and triumpb. She had not as yet rung for her maid: she was alone in that dreesing-room. It was elegantly appointed : every possible refinement that could be introduced into such a place, was to be observed there. A velvet curtain, with a mas- sive gold fringe, separated it from the bath-room, which was aleo most luxuriously fitted up. Beyond the bath-room was a little ante-chambér, communi- eating with the bed-room on one side, and having @ private staircase on the other,—thie being for the accommodation of the lady’s-maid, who could thas in a few moments attend to the summons of the bell without being forced to take the more circuit- ous route of the principal staircase of the house. Sach at least was the original aim of the architect who planned the commodious dwelling; though in the case of Mrs. Oxenden we shall speedily find that the flight of stairs just alluded to served an- other purpose. She was in the midst of her contemplation of the diamonds, when her ear caught the sound of a door gently opening and shatting; and a smile appeared upon ber countenance. There was a light step traversing the bath-room: the velvet curtain was partially put aside for a moment; and an elegant young gentleman revealed himeelf to the eyes of the lady. But not unknown to her was he: nor was he an unwelcome intruder there. On the con- trary—ehbe at once received him in her arms; and as she caressed him with all the burning enthu- siasm of ber impassioned temperament, she said, “ Dearest, dearest Aloxis !’’ “You see that I have availed myself of your permission as well as of the key,” responded the visitor, as he returned those caresses. He was perhaps one of the most beautiful youths on whom the eyes of woman ever rested lovingly. He was not above one-and-twenty, and possessed features so delicately chiselled that if he had been dressed up in feminine garb, he might easily have paseed asa lovely specimen of the fair sex. His face was altogether beardlese: bis hair was of a rich brown, and curled naturally : his eyes were of a violet blue—his lips somewhat full, but perfectly well shaped. His figure, which was exceedingly slender, was of the most elegant symmetry: he had a sweet musical voice; and he knew how to modu- late ite tones to the tenderest language of love. Before continuing the thread of our narrative, we way observe that Alexis Oliver was the youngest son of a country gentleman of some property ; and having renounced the profession of the bar for which he was originally intended, he had led an idle and dissipated life as a young man about town. The allowance he received from his family was ex- ceedingly small; and having fallen in with Mrs. Oxenden, he giadly accepted ber overtures, and yielded to an amour that so far from costing him- self anything, appeared to promise to become the means of filling his purse. In plain terms, so far froma Alexis Oliver having to keep his mistress, it was the mistress who proposed to keep him as her paramour. As in complicated machinery thera are wheels within wheels, so in respect to this woman there were depravities within depravities; and she who was the wife of one man and the paid mistress of another, became the paying mistress of a third who, as we have said, served as her paramour, “ My dear Alexis,” she said, “I have an excel. lent story to tell you:”—and she at once related how she had purchased the diamonds, thereby re- venging herself on Colonel Tressilian, and at the same time giving the Duke of Marchmont another proof of the power which she was despotically re- eolved to wield over him. Alexis laughed heartily—not because he really saw anything particulerly amusing in the affair, but because he perceived that the lady herself wished to treat it in that agreeable light. The reader now therefore understands that he was one of those despicable creatures who for their own selfish purposes seem to forget the sex to which they belong, and practise towards the depraved women who keep them those cajoleries, wheedlings, and servile coaxings which kept women are usually wont to observe towards those who pension them. “ But ere you not afraid,” he inquired, “that the Duke will consider you are going a little too farP Or have you eucoseded in gaining such a power over him-——” “Yes, dearest Alexis,” answered Mrs. Oxenden, “JI have gained that power over the Duke of Marchmont !” “It is an immense power,” said young Oliver musingly; and the idea stole into his mind that it must have some other source than mere infatua- tion on the Duke’s part. * But how,” he inquired, —-“how, my sweetest and dearest friend——"’ “You must not question me, Alexis, on that point,” interrupted Mre. Oxenden. “I have pro- mised to make you my confidant in most things -———Indeed I love you so much that I feel dis- posed to give you all my confidence: but there is that one point——” “Do not think me too curious,” said the youth, though his curiosity was in reality piqued and he was resolved sooner or later to gratify it. “ You are so handsome it is no wonder you have ob- tained this power over the Duke of Marchmont. And does he not harbour the alightest suspi- cion——”" “That I receive visite from you?” exclaimed Mrs. Oxenden. “Ob, no! no! And now I will tell you of a splendid plan which I have set on foot,—a pian, my dear Alexis, that when realized, will enable me to do great things for you. What should you think if you were to behold me a Duchess P” “A Duchess?” exclaimed the young gentleman, starting with mingled astonishment and delight. “Init possible you entertain such a hope? But have you forgotten that the Dake of Marchmont is already married P” “I have not forgotten it,” answered Mrs. Oxenden: “on the contrary, it is the principal obstacle—but still it is not invincible. No obstacle ia too great for one who has the energy to grapple with it;—and that energy is mine, Alexis—you know that it is mine!” “But you yourself are married!” cried the | young gentleman with inereasing bewilderment. COMIC OOOlK<S conn