The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

EE 108 —_ cupied by what I am now saying, it is only because I would not wish you to imagine that I shall go hence from your abode to give publicity to a scene as unexpected as it was painful. Your ladyship speaks of being humiliated: but if you feel so, it need only be so long as I am in your presence. No —I will not make a vaunt of the proposals which in a mood of deplorable weakness you have ventured to make to me. Let the veil of oblivion be dropped over what has passed! And now I bid your lady- ship farewell.” ‘‘ Stop—one moment stop!” said Lady Saxondale, in the deep hoarse voice of concentrated passion ; and she clutched Deveril violently by the arm. “ You must not leave me thus. [I feel like a desperate woman, capable of desperate deeds. You, sir, are the only man I ever loved; and to have this first love of mine thus rejected—thus spurned ——No, by heaven, it shall not be !””—and in the madness of her rage she stamped her foot violently on the carpet. Deveril, shocked and horrified at what was taking _ place, burst from the strong grasp in which Lady Saxondale held him, and was hastening to the door, when she bounded after him, and caught him by the arm again, crying, “Stop—I command you to stop! Beware how you irritate me—I am not mis- tress of my actions—and if you attempt to escape from me again, ere I have said ail that I have to say, there willbea struggle, and you know it will be playing a coward’s part to do violence to a wo- man !” ‘Lady Saxondale,” said the young artist, pain- fully excited and scarcely knowing how to act, “I will remain a few minutes and listen to what you have to say, if you will only tranquillize your feelings: for I really do not wish that you should incur the chance of exposure betore your household. At the same time I warn your ladyship not to address me againin language that is dercgatory to yourself and insulting to me,” ‘Insulting to you, foolish boy?” said Lady Sax- ondale: and the words came hissing forth on her panting breath, while every feature of her handsome countenance was convulsed with passion—a passion in which the fury of desire was mingled with the rage of disappointment and the deep sense of mor- tification. ‘Have you refused my love because there is such disparity in our ages? It is true that there are many years’ difference between us: but am I not handsome? am [I not in the proud glory of my beauty? Look at this hair ;—is there one line of silver in it? Look at this face ;— is there a wrinkle uponit? Look at this form ;— has time done aught to mar its symmetry? No, no,’ she added with increasing excitement, “I not only love, but I have the consciousness of being loveable. And if my mirror told me false in that respect, think you that the handsomest and proudest peers of England, who when seeking my hand have told me that I was beautiful, have spoken thus in mere idle flattery? Once again, then, William Deveril——” No, lady—not again—not even once again!” he cried, now stricken with the conviction that every moment which he gave up to a prolongation of this gcene was a treachery and an insult to that sweet patrician girl who but a few hours previously had gS eS EE eee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. even during the few brief moments which are oc- breathed a revelation of purest and chastest love i: his ear. “Ah, then your’s is a heart of adamant and wil! not be moved!” exclaimed Lady Saxondale. “But perhaps you love another ?’—and her whole form quivered with rage as the bare idea struck her with an ice-chill, smiting her proud heart as if it would rend it in twain. “Love another?” echoed the young artist me- chanically: for again he trembled lest his secret should be surprised. “Yes—love another!” promptly rejoined Lady Saxondale. ‘I said so—and I see that -it is the case. Oh! that tell-tale look of your’s reveals the secret! Then I have a rival? Ah! rivalry en- courages bad passions—it excites vengeance—and by the heaven above us, William Deveril, if my love be spurned for that of any puling sentimental girl, the revenge that I will wreak shall be terrible!” “Good heavens, Lady Saxondale!” exclaimed the young artist, thinking of Florina; “you know not what you say!” “But I have told you what I will do,” responded the infuriate woman—for infuriate she now reslly was. “ Beware how you continue to spurn my love! Say but one kind word, and I will forgive all that” has passeed——” “Madam, I can bear this no longer,” eried Deveril, once more breaking away from her. “Stop !” she exclaimed, a third time catching him by the arm, and with such power too that he could not have escaped without exerting more violence than his generous nature would permit him to de towards a female: “I have but a single word now to say. Give me your love, Wiliam, and I will worship you: persist in refusing me, and I become your bitterest enemy !” Having thus spoken, with flashing eyes, pale countenance, quivering lips, and trembling form, she suddenly released him of her own accord—and he found himself free. : “Lady Saxondale,” he answered, “ when this tempest of passion has subsided, you will be sorry for what has passed.” “Sorry? No,’ she cried, now drawing herself up once more with sovereign hauteur, so that her majestic beauty seemed terrible in this storm of rage and indignation: “that word is not one which can be applied to Lady Saxondale. Instead of ex- periencing sorrow, I shall lock for vengeance. If your mind be made up, mine is also. I could have sacrificed everything to enjoy your love; but I can- not endure to be humiliated by this rejection of my own. Much theretore as I could have leved you, I am prepared to hate you. Which is to be the alter- native?” * Madam,” answered Deveril, “this scene has already lasted much too long, and your conduct towards me has passed from indelicacy to insult.” “ Begone, then, sir!” she exclaimed, the fires of all possible human passions flashing from her eyes, “T hate you—and I will be revenged!” William Deveril bowed coldly and quitted the room. In a couple of minutes he crossed the threshold of Saxondale Hoxse, and returned onve more into Hyde Park to compose the feelings that had been so much excited by the strange and pain- ful ordeal through which he had just passed. It appeared as if he had just wakened up from a Gomichdooks (E©)