The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

52 at ‘all: for she was all modesty and confunon. However, she inquired for the ballet-master, and besought employment. He desired her to afford him a specimen of her abilities} and I suppose that as in consequence of her timidity she ac- quitted herself with some degree of awkwardness, he chucked her under the chin—no doubt for the purpoee of encouraging her. She boxed his ears in return. For a moment he appeared as if about to be desperately angry : but altering hie mind he burst out into a hearty laugh—for he was a very good-natured man. This little incident gave the young lady spirits; and then she acquitted herself so well that he resolved to prepare her for the ballet. Then she went through a course of train- ing : her progress was incredible—her proficiency was soon complete. The ballet-master treated her with kindness—protected her from insult—and ep- peared to have conceived a paternal affection for the young lady after the repulse which his first amatory overture had received. At length the day came when she was to make her appearance in public; and every wall in Paris was covered with immense posters, announcing the intended debut of Mademoiselle Atalanta—for that was the name which the exquisite imagination of the ballet-master bestowed upon her.” ‘And a very pretty name too!’ observed Softly: “but of course not so captivating as Armantine. Pray proceed.” “ Atalanta’s triumph was immense,” continued the French girl; “and the reviews on the follow- ing day spoke of her as a perfect miracle in the Terpsichorean sphere. It may perhaps be as well to observe that out of the dozen principal critiques the ballet-master himself wrote seven, all in dif- ferent strains of eulogy; and the remaining five were penned by the reviewers immediately after the champagne-supper which the Director of the Opera gave to the gentlemen of the press in the Green-room. Put all this apart, Atalante’s triumph was really immense. Sbe appeared as s sylph amongst a mass of clouds: she had wings at her back—flowcrs in her bair; and whatsoever beauties of furm she possessed were developed by the gauzy drapery. The enthusiasm her ap- pearance excited, no doubt inspired her to put forth all her powers; and subsequent critiques— which were not penned by the friendly ballet- master, and xof written under the influence of the Director’s champagne—pronounced her style of dancing to be a perfect combination of all the ele- gancies and graces pertaining to the art.” “The ravishing creature!” ejaculated Softly. “ But I fancy I eee in this lovely embodiment of graces and elegancies——"’ “ Pray anticipate nothing !” interjected Arman: tine, again tapping her foolish young lover's cheek ina playful manner. “You may easily suppose that she had a great many ovortures, and was exposed to many temptations—some of which, when rejected, changed into persecution. And now I come to that part which constitutes my motive for telling you this tale. Amongst the noblemen and gentlemen—forcign as well as} French—who obtained admittance behind the ecenes and were allowed the entrée of the Green- room, was a fierce military-looking Englishman, eome forty yoars of age, who made the most bril- hant overtures to Mademoiselle Atalanta: but, --_ Pegg? Gut OG wo THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. along with the rest, he experienced a decisive refusal. He became the most persevering of her persecutors. He had her carried off to a lonely house on the outekirts of Paris: but thence she escaped. A second time was she carried off ; and on this occasion to a house of infamy, where the unprincipled Englishman vowed that if she did not submit by fair means, violence should be used, and all Paris should know next day that Atalanta, the supposed paragon of virtue, had passed the night there. She however escaped a second time; the lice were informed of the outrage—and the nglishman was ordered to leave Paris. His infatuation took a phase by no means uncommon: it turned from love to hate~and he secretly set himself to work to find out who Mademoiselle Atalanta really was. He succeeded: he commu: nicated with her family; and for the third time was she carried off when leaving the opera—but on this occasion by her father and brother. She was taken back to her convent. This was what the Englishman desired; and he found means of causing a letter to be conveyed to her, intimating that if she would consent to fly with him, he would effect her eecape. She showed the letter to the Superior: ié was conveyed to the police—and the Englishman was turned out of France. Circam- stances recently brought Atalanta to London. This very day she has encountered the Englishman ; and he has threatened her with his implacable vengeance unlees she chooses to place herself under his pro- tection.” “And the charming Atalanta,” exclaimed Softly, “is, as I all along suspected, the equally charming Armantine P”’ “Put all the charmings out of the question,” responded the young lady, with a smile, “and you are right. Now, my dear Augustus, you are ace quainted with one episode in my life.” * Yes—and Madame Angelique told me that your father is a Marquis,” he immediately added. “Ab! pray do not speak of him,” murmured Armantine. “If I were married, it would indeed be very, very different !” “And Madame Angelique,” pursued Softly, “helped the Duke of Marchmont to carry you off from the convent two or three months back.” “ If you see Marchmont,” was,the wily French girl’s guarded response, “he will tell you ail about it.” “ I saw him just now,” rejoined Softly. ** Ab, indeed !” ejaculated Armantine quickly. “*Yes—he called upon me for a few minates,” rejoined the Hon. Augustus Softly, “ about half- an-bour before you came in. To tell you the truth —being rather proud of my conquest, I spoke of it to the Duke ; and he said enough to confirm Madame Angelique’s tale. But about this Eng- lishman of your’s —— what is his name ?” “* His name P—Captain Cartwright,” responded Armantine: and then she added with a visible shudder, “ And, Oh ! he is so terribly ferocious— such a desperate man! I am sure I should faint if he made his appearance to molest me !” “ Molest you, my dear girl ?” exclaimed Mr. Softly, assuming a very valorous look: “ not while I am here to defend you! No matter whether swords or pistols—egad! I would teach him « lesson which he should not forget !” Armantine watched her lover narrowly, but TD -° eee Le atl GDoo <S RS eer epg nga fete tc atta Paces co