The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

RP EO ee a —— i4 A dizziness followed—and for a few moments everything appeared to be in a whirl ;—then she felt as if she must shriek out and fall headlong into some -unknown but terrible and fathomless abyss,—when she was suddenly recalled to her senses by the open- ing of the door, and the appearance of an elderly woman, bearing a light, on the threshold at the bottom of the desceut of steps. “Come, my dear girl,” said Mrs. Brace, taking Caroline’s hand: “let me introduce you to my friend Mrs. Lindley, who is here to receive you.” The young girl threw a shuddering glance upon the woman, who was endeavouring to wreath her countenance into a bland smile of welcome ;—but as the light, which she shaded with her long thin hand, was thrown full upon her feattires, if gave them a chastly appearance—for Mis. Lindley’s face was long, angular, and sallow. “Come, I say, Caroline—dear Caroline !” whis- pered Mrs. Brace, almost in an imploriig tone, as she felt the young girl’s hend snatched back abruptly from her own. Those words succeeded in somewhat reassuring the affrighted creature—for they were spoken ina tone of penetrating kindness; and she aecorditgly followed the milliner down the steps into the hotise. Mrs. Lindley then shut the door, and condtieted her visitors from the long, low, dark passage, to tlie end of which Caroline’s straining eyes coulil not penetrate,—into a small parlour opening therefrom. The shutters were closed inside the casements : the blinds were down—and the dark stuff curtains were drawn,—as if the object were hermetically to seal up those windows, so that not a crevice shotld afford any passer-by an opportunity of peering into the room. The furniture was of walnut-wood, and looked like ebony in its fimereal dye: a few old atid villanowsly executed steel-engravings, professing to be portraits of eminent physicians, and set ift com- mon black frames, were suspeided to the wains- cotting ;—and in an antique book-case a few mouldy volumes on subjects of midwifery and the uses of herbs, kept company with a huge Bible fastened by means of silver clasps. There was a good firein the grate: but the lambent flames that rose from a pile of crackling coal, failed to mitigate the gloomy appearance of this room ;— and even the large black cat, which lazily opened its sparkling, glass-like green eyes, as it lay rolled up on the hearth rug, had something ominous and foreboding about it in the estimation of the trembling, shudder- ing Caroline Walters. Mrs. Lindley politely drew forward seats for the accommodation of her visitors; and then, slowly sinking down upon an easy chair with a very high back rudely carved, she put on a great pair of horn spectacles for the purpose of taking a good long sur- vey of Caroline. The young creature felt a disagreeable chill come over her, as the woman’s small, dark, reptile-like eyes eleamed upon her through the large circular glasses : for it seemed as if a snake were endeavouring to fascinate her with its hideous gaze. And so far fas- ciniated she indeed was, that she could not withdraw her looks from the countenance of Mrs. Lindley: they were rivetted upon that cadaverous face with its sharp features and its parchment skin—its thin pale lips and its thick and prominent eyebrows. “She is a sweet pretty girl, my dear madam,” ob- served the woman, suddenly tuming towards the ee ee ee a —— EN THE MYSTERIES, milliner, and speaking in that mysterious and sub- dued tone which the very nature of her profession had rendered habitual, and which she therefore used on all occasions even when commonplace subjects might have enabled her to dispense with so much caution. “ And Carry is not only a pretty girl—but a very eood girl,’ said Mrs. Brace, in answer to Mrs. Lind- ley’s remark. “I have assured her that she will experience nothing but the most affectionate kind- ness from your hands——” “Hush! my dear madam—hush!” interrupted the woman, placing her finger upon her lip. “ Not so loud, if you please! Ieimember that walls have ears——_” “T bee your pardon, Mrs. Lindley—I quite for- cot,” returned the lady to whom this remonstrance was addressed: then, continuitig to speak in a more subdued tone, she said, “ You will find Caroline docile, amiable, arid obliging—and therefore t am certain that yout will Aeree perfectly Well together.” “T haveno doubtof it,” said Mrs. Lindley. “ Some of Miss Walters’ companions at your establishment, my dear madam, have most likely already informed lier liow 1 am accustomed to behave to my lodgers,” continued the woman, taking off her hori spectacles aiid siniling with mysterious significanéy: “ Let me see—the last that I had here from yotir hotise, Mrs. Brace; was Emily Burdett--a deat 60d, livély girl! She was always humming tunes ftom miorfting to iight—and so I eave her the best rooth at the back of the house, that she might sing to the river and not to the street. Yes~a nice girl was Miss Burdett! ‘he one before her was Rachel Vorrester, I think—a fine young woman—tall and stately as Jtifio—and passionately fond of reading romances, Pray, are chose young ladies with you now, my dear madam ?” “Oh! yes,’ replied Mrs; Brate: “and I rather think i “ Hiish !—what?” murmured M#s. Lindley, lean- ing foward with an air of great Mystery to catch the revélation about to be made, and the nature of which she could pretty well conjecture. “ Don’t speak too loud, mitid! What were you going to say? You think——” “That Rachel Forrester will have to pay you an- other visit in a couple of months, or so,” added Mrs. Brace, irresistibly and alse unconsciously catching for the moment a portion of that extreme habit of caution which appeared to keep Mrs. Lindley ever on the gui vive lest her words should be overheard by curious ears or her movements noticed by prying eyes. “Well — well,” said the woman; “these things will happen—and it makes a good trade for me,” she added, with a low chuckling laugh, which was however the loudest that she ever indulged in. “Won't you take off your bonnet and cloak, and stay to supper with us?” she inquired, after a short pause, and still addressing herself to the milliner. “No, I thank you—I must return home almost immediately,” replied Mrs. Brace. “But you had better take off your things, my love,” she added, turning towards Caroline. The young gitl rose from her chair and mechani- cally complied with the suggestion of her mistress. She unfastened the strings of her gipsy-hat, which she placed upon the table; and then slowly let het cloak fall from her shoulders. ‘The casual observer, on glancing at the figure of Caroline Walters, would 5 COLA eEhooksseom