The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 247: what you’re looking at

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her mistress, she put sundry queries, which Mrs. Brace took as long a time to answer as possible. In- deed she elaborated her instructions so much that she succeeded in detaining the young giri upwards of five minutes in the room—during which interval Lord Florimel could not take his eyes off her. For her nourning garb rendered her so sweetly interest- ing and set off to such advantage the beauty of her complexion, that the nobleman felt all his good re- solves thawing within him andall his grosser passions 'as rapidly excited. | When Camilla quitted the room, followed by _ the enraptured looks of Florimel,—she herself, how- ever, not observing the intentness of his gaze,— Mrs. Brace said, with one of her most fascinating and archest smiles, “Is she not perfect?” “ Ravishing !” exclaimed the young nobleman, janable to subdue his enthusiasm. “IfI did not love Pauline, I could love Camilla.” “ And you will love her all the same,” said the milliner. “ Next Sunday evening you will sup with me: Camilla alone shall be present with us. In the meantime—for this is only Monday—I shall have leisure to insinuate into her mind all those little praises concerning you which produce so | great an effect upon young persons.” | “ No—no—I will not se, ACR will not come !” ejaculated Florimel, | ©'Phere can at all events be no harm in your passing an agreeable evening,’ urged Mrs. Brace. “ Well, well—I will think of it—I will let you | know to-morrow,” said Gabriel: and hastily shak- _ing the miliiner’s hand, he took an abrupt depar- ture. “That matter is as good as settled,” murmured Mrs. Brace to herself as the door closed behind the retreating form of the young nobleman, “ Ca- | milla will be worth a thousand guineas to me in the | very first instance.” | Scarcely had the unprincipled—selfish—-heart- less woman made this reflection, when Harriet again entered, ushering in Mrs. Lindley, the old midwife of Fore Street, Lambeth. The servant immedi- ately withdrew ; and the harridan paid her respects to Mrs. Brace, glancing however suspiciously round the room to assure herself, with her habitual cau- tion, that no listener was near. * What brings you hither, my good friend ?” in- quired Mrs. Brace. * Hush !—not so loud ;—walls have ears!” mur- mured the midwife, speaking in alow whisper, and placing a long lean finger to her lip. ® That dear girl, Caroline Walters——” “ Ah! what—already ?” ejaculated the milliner, bending forward in an attitude of earnest attention. “ Hush—a miscarriage!” said the old woman, who, having by this time put on her spectacles with the great circular glasses, fixed her small dark, reptile-like eyes through them upon the counte- nance of Mrs. Brace. “ Yes—a miscarriage——” “ Well—that is a matter for rejoicing,’ observed the milliner. ‘ But how is she 2?” “Somewhat excited — irritable — and nervous,” was the answer. “ When the pains first took her, she insisted upon having a surgeon—and she grew quite violent because I remonstrated with her. I was therefore compeiled to yield to her request— and she became comparatively tranquil. When the babe was born, and the doctor pronounced it to be dead, she insisted on seeing it; and weak and SEE ow —.~— ~~. -_—~~— f I should have merely announced the ec es ve i pee THE MYSTERIES. AE ee en eee De as ee suffering as she was, such a terrible expression swept over her countenance that if I were to live for a thousand years I could not forget it. But— hush! what noise was that?” demanded the mid- wife, with startled manner and in a hurried whisper. “ Nothing—nothing: a carriage in the street,” returned the miliner, “But this expression of countenance——” “Was of the darkest— most fiend-like malig- nity,” added the old woman. “I could not have supposed that such a young creature was suscep- tible of such a hellish passion as that which alone could have produced such a look. But then, as | she herself has told me, Spanish blood circulates |in her veins——” “ And what can this fact have to do with the demoniac expression that her features suddenly assumed ?” demanded Mrs. Brace. “ Vengeance upon her seducer !—vengeance on the father of that still-born babe!” replied Mrs. Lindley, in so low a tone that her words would not have been audible were they in the least degree less emphatic. “ I am accustomed to read the soul through the index of the countenance; and never was a feeling more eloquently—more intelli- gibly — or more fearfully expressed upon human lineaments.” “ You surprise — grieve — alarm me,” said Mrs, Brace. “ But perhaps it was the effect of a sudden paroxysm of pain——” “No: I can easily distinguish between physical anguish and the workings of the mind,” interrupted Mrs. Lindley. “So struck was I by the incident which I have mentioned, that I determined to eall and communicate it to you by word of mouth: accouchement of Miss Walters, by means of a letter. But believe me, my dear madam,” added the mid- wife impressively,—* believe me, L say, that this young girl, meditates some scheme of infernal vengeance against her seducer; and as such a pro- ceeding might lead to an exposure of all the cir- cumstances of her case, whatever they may be——” “ Yes—yes: 1 comprehend you,” said Mrs. Brace, nervously: ‘‘and that exposure would perhaps in- volve the mention of my name in a manner ex- tremely prejudicial to my establishment.” “That is precisely what I foresaw,” observed the midwife; “and therefore I resolved te call and give you due warning of the vindictive sentiments which Miss Walters undoubtedly cherishes towards her seducer.” “Ttake it very kind of you, my good friend—l am infinitely obliged to you,” exclaimed the milli- ner. “In the course of the week I will call and see Caroline—and I shall be able to tranquillise her. if not, I must get her sent down into the country the moment she is well enough to leave your house.” “That would be by far the best plan,” said Mrs. Lindley: “or else,? she added, after a short pause, “ out of the country altogether.” “Something of the kind, decidedly,” returned the milliner. “By the bye, Rachel Forrester will have to pay you another visit in the course of two or three weeks. You remember that I hinted some- thing to this effect at the time when I introduced Caroline Walters to your establishment.” “JT never forget any matter of business, my dear madam,” said the midwife, suffering her features MICLOOOKS.EO© (Cl QO)