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

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eee 48 wict of Wapping, It was, then, in the eastern quar- ters of London that the den existed where he had been imprisoned; but were he asked to retrace his steps from the point which he had now gained to the place whence he had escaped, the endeavour would have proved utterly abortive. His course was, however, at present clear enough ; and in about three quarters of an hour he emerged upon Tower Hill. There he was fortunate enough to discover a hackney-coach, which set him down at the George and Blue Boar just as the thousand clocks of the metropolis were striking three. a CHAPTER XIV. LORD FLORIMEL. Wer must now return to the establishment of Mrs. Brace in Pall Mall: for while the scene already re- lated was taking place in one room between Mr. Harley and Octavia Clarendon, an incident of some importance was occurring in another. It was nine o’clock on that memorable evening— the young ladies in the employment of Mrs. Brace were busily occupied in consigning the caps, bon- nets, and dresses to band-boxes and drawers, prepa- ratory to the closing of the shop for the night—and the worthy mistress of the establishment was super- intending these proceedings, when a servant entered from the interior of the dwelling-house and gave her some whispered information. “Ah! Lord Florimel!” ejaculated Mrs. Brace, in an under tone; and she forthwith hastened to her own private sitting-room at the back of the premises. It was a small but elegantly furnished apartment, —all its arrangements being quite consistent with that good taste which we have already noticed as pervading the toilette of the lady herself. Vases filled with artificial flowers—a few good pictures in handsome but not gaudy frames—a I’rench time- piece in or-molu—several little ivory statues, six or eight inches high, and exquisitely carved—and a book-case containing the standard works, — these constituted the principal ornaments of the room. A cheerful fire blazed in the grate—and the wax-can- dles shed their lustre upon the rich crimson drape- ries attached to the windows. Lounging negligently in an arm-chair, tapping his boot with the end of his slim gold-headed cane, and with his eyes fixed listlessly upon the time-piece, was a young nobleman whom we must particularly introduce to our readers. Lord Florimel—for that was his name—had only a few months previously succeeded to the family title and estates in consequence of the sudden death of an elder brother; and although he was still dressed in mourning, his attire was of the most elegant de- scription. But he needed no adventitious aid to en- hance the natural beauty of his person. For beautifui he indeed was,—not handsome—but with that cast of countenance for which Grecian women are so justly celebrated. He was scarcely two-and-twenty years of age; and arazor had never touched his cheeks, which had all the damask and _ peacli-!ike loveliness peculiar to the softer sex. His complexion was sin- gularly fair, clear, and stainless: his nose was small av \ perfectly straight ;—his lips were red and full— LT te cr a jests, oaths, or imprecations. THE MYSTERIES. remarkably small and delicate. He wore his rich chesnut hair flowing in a wavy mass over his shoul- ders; and as it was parted with great precision above the high and open forehead, its arrangement com- pleted the feminine appearance of the youthful noble’s countenance. His eyes were large, dark, and beaming with sensual passions, the lascivious fires of which were however subdued somewhat by the long and slightly curling fringes of deepest jet which served as a veil to temper the ardent expression of those splendid orbs. In stature Lord Forimel was very short for a man, though he was above the middie height of woman. His form was slight—but his symmetry was com- plete; and nothing could exceed the delicate white- ness of his hands and the diminutive modelling of his feet. His voice corresponded with this feminine style of beauty : it was clear and melodious as a flute, sounding deliciously as that of a lovely woman to the ear. His conversation was moreover particu- larly choice and select: though a voluptuary, he was not a rake—and he never indulged in profane He was addicted to the pleasures of love—but he abjured those of wine; and, disliking the society of men, he passed nearly all his time amongst females. Fickle, inconstant, and easily excited by a new and pretty face, he had all the caprices of awanton woman. But his character did not lack generous sentiments nor elevated feel- ings: he could be charitable in the extreme, when the humour seized upon him—and though he never lent money to a fashionable and dissipated friend, he would drop a guinea into the hand of the poor mendicant who appeared to be a worthy object for relief. 7 : 3 | He was unmarried, and likely to remain so: for the idea of linking himself to one woman was, in his esti- mation, something too dreadful to contemplate. Pos- sessed of immense wealth, and with no parents nor elderly relatives to advise him, he devoted all his time and all his thoughts to the pleasures of love; and, extravagant in nothing else, he lavished large sums upon these objects of his desires. Mrs, Brace—the accommodating Mrs. Brace—was a very useful per- son to such a character as Lord Florimel; and of the dozen young ladies in her service, at least two- thirds had ministered to the passing and transitory phantasies of this nobleman. “ Well, my dear friend,” said Florimel, half-rising from his seat and immediately sinking back again, when Mrs. Brace entered the room,— I am come to consult you as usual. You see before you a man completely dependent upon your kind offices to pro- cure him a little variety in the sphere of Venus; for I can assure you that during the last ten days, I have not encountered, either in my walks or drives, a single face that has excited a new emotion in my breast.” “ Your lordship is greatly to be pitied,” observed Mrs. Brace, with a smile. “ Pitied!” he ejaculated: “ I am indeed! But per- mit me to tell you, my good friend,” he continued, his eyes settling upon the milliner’s ample bust, a considerable portion of which was exposed by the low corsage that was then in fashion,—‘ permit me to tell you that you are iooking quite delightful this evening. One would scarcely believe that you could be seven-and-twenty ;’’— Florimel knew that she was forty;—“for your complexion is perfectly bril- liant—-your teeth are like pearls—your eyes flash | ana his teeth brilliantly white and faultlessly even. : fires—yes, fires most wanton and seductive at the | His neck was long and gracefully turned—his ears — = - ——— — ~ - — -~—- —— — -———- -_—— — ee CORMICLMOOOKS. CORn