The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 70: what you’re looking at

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ments was altogether oriental. The lamp sus- pended to the eeiling, shed its soft roseate light through the transparent medium of a pink-tinted globe of glass; and the ottomans, with their red velvet cushions—the crimeon draperies, with their massive gold fringes—and the carpet of corre- sponding dyes, appeared to borrow deeper and richer hues from that flood of lustre. The Princess Indora was seated upon one of the ottomans; and she was arrayed in the most be- coming oriental garb. A caftan of purple velvet, exquisitely embroidered, and brilliant with gems, eet off the fine symmetry of her shape to admirable advantege. Confined at the throat and at the waist, the interval that was left open revealed the rounded contours of the gorgeous bust through the gausy and almost transparent chemé- sctte. She wore satin trousers of an azure colour, embroidered, and trimmed with the richest lace. Made full in the eastern style, they bal- looned down to the ankles, where they were tied : the ankles themselves were bare—and the feet were thrust into morocco slippers of a purple colour ornamented with pearls. According to her custom, the Princess wore no corset: nor indeed were any srtificial means of support or compres- sion requisite for a form so superbly modelled, and the rich contoure of which sustained themselves as nature intended and as if they were the sculp- -tured delineations of a statue. Be it recollected’ that the complexion of the Princess Indora was not of gipsy swarthinees, although it was of eastern duskiness; and it dif- fered from that of the brunette of our western clime, inasmuch as it was of a clear pale brown. We have said too—but we may repeat it here— that the skin hac ail that fine-grained appearance and that animated polish which seemed to indicate that so far from the first freshness of youth being lost, i¢ still adhered, unmarred and unimpaired, to a matured and voluptuous womanhood. The rich ‘warm blood of her eastern origin mantied with carnation tint upon the cheek ually soften- ing away until imperceptibly blending with the pale brown purity of the general complexion. To gaze upon the Princess Indora—to observe those spasses of luxuriantly flowing hair, dark as night, without wave or curl except at the extremities, but all as soft as silk—that faultices profile, with the straight nose, the short upper lip, and the de- lieately rounded chin—those coal-blaok eyes, fall of a languishing lusize, and curtained at times by the richest ebon fringes that ever constituted a veil which woman oould at pleasure draw over her thoughts—to pass on from that countenance of magnificent beauty, and suffer the eye to wander along the line of the throat, till it joined the neck where the buet expanded into such grandly rounded and voluptuously swelling contours—to travel still onward with the gaze, and follow the sweeping outlines of the arms, bare to the shoulders, and modelled with robustness and yet to the most admirable symmetry—to pursue the con- templation to the feet, which were long and shapely, with high izstepe—to complete this sur- vey of the living, glowing, animated picture, would be to feast the eyes with one of the most charming and magnificent creations that ever belonged to the sphere of the female sex. Such indeed was the Prinoces Indora, who had Lge PP SS PSS Ss SP Se THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 59 now nearly completed her thirty-first year. Ordi- narily with eastern women, they are at that age on the wane—their beauty is fading—and in ap- pearance they resemble females of five or six years older in our western climes. But it was not so with Indora. If, in speaking of her age, she had ehosen to diminish it by half.a-dozen years, no one — would have questioned the truth of the assertion. In every senso was tho lustre of her beauty un- dimmed; while the lapse of time appeared only to - add to its gorgeousness and its grandeur. There | was a dewy freshness on the rich red lips—the . teeth which they diselosed were whiter than ivory, even as if arranged by the nicest mechanical art, . and in faultless preservation. Her breath was | sweet and balmy as that of a youthful maiden’s; and in a word, her appearance was altogether as if she had taken the most studious care to protect her wondrous beauty against all those effecte of time and circumstances which could mar its frosh- ness or dim ite brightnees. It was at about eight o’clock in the evening that we thus find tho Princess Indora seated in her exquisitely furnished apartment—and evi- dently awaiting some expected arrival. Hopeful happiness was depicted upon her countenance: ite light was dancing in the depths of her coal- black eyes; and the flutter of her heart was indi» | cated by the qaick swelling and sinking of her bosom. What was passing in the mind of the Princess Indora that she was thus hopeful and happy, and yet to a certain extent agitated with suspense? Was it that she thought of her love— that long, faithful, impassioned, and trustful love of her’s—-and that she had reason to believe it would shortly be crowned with bliss? Presently the door opened; and Sagoonah made her appearance. Arapid searching glance did tho ayah fling upon her mistress as she crossed the threshold—for one single moment too did the vin- dictive expression of a tigress pass over the fea- tures of the Hindoo woman—and then as her eyes instantaneously sank again, she stood before tho Princess with her wonted respectful deference of manner. “What is it, Sagoonah ?” inquired Indora hastily. “Is it——” She stopped short; and the colour heightened upon her cheeks—while the other evidenoes of her suspense were enhanced. “Two Commissioners from Inderabad have ar- rived in London, my lady,” answered Sagoonah; “and they crave an immediate audience.” “Two Commissioners?” ejaculated Indora, the colour suddenly vanishing from her cheeks. “What can this mean? Has anything happened to my dear father? It was but the other day that his messengers were here! But speak, Sa- goonah !|—what say they ?’’—and the Princess was painfully excited. “They said nothing, my ledy,” answered the ayah, “beyond inquiring in respect to your lady- ship’s health and in eoliciting an immediate audience. But they are in mourning, my lady 7 “In mourning P’? echoed Indora, with a half- shriek. “Oh, then I must anticipate tho worst! But let them enter—introduco them quick !”’ Sagoonah hastened to obey the mandate: and in a fow moments the two commissioners from Inder- COMicooOolkxs.conrn