The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

) “Stop, Frank—I wish te speak to you!” THE MYSTERIES _ Juliana said, as if with the effort of a resolution, “Yes, Miss,’ murmured the youth; and with eyes now bent down, and trembling all over, he re- mained standing close by the luxurious seat where Miss Farefield’s magnificent form was supported by floculent cushions. “Frank,” she said, “ why do you tremble soP why do you look confused—half frightened P Surely you can guess what I am going to say to youP—— but I myself am now so confused and yet this is foolish ! Frank,” she exclaimed, suddenly raising herself from her indolently lounging posture, and bending upon the almost stupified youth the entire power of her glorious dark eyes; “I love you—l love you!” “Heavens, Miss—what do you mean P—what— what ” and the amazed and bewildered Francis stood blushing and trembling, covered with con- fusion, in the presence of that superb young woman of high patrician birth who had just with the effort of a strong resolution thrown at him the avowal of her love. “What do I mean, dear boy?” she answered, with glowing cheeks and with a delicious languor floating in the depths of her eyes: “I mean that I can conceal this secret no longer—that I love you— Oh! Llove you, with an affection so sincere, a pas- sion so strong, that if you were the son of a Duke instead of what you are, it could not be more pow- erful! Tell me then, Francis, can you love me in return P do you love me already? Yes, yes—I see that you do—I know it—I read it in your eyes—— O heaven ! it is a paradise to love and be beloved !” —and as she thus spoke the impassioned young lady snatched the youth’s disengaged hand and pressed it with a warmth—nay, almost a frenzied violence, which testified unmistakably to the ardour of her feelings. * Oh, Miss! what would her ladyship say if she knew this?” exclaimed Francis, more confused than ever. “She need not know it, my dear boy,” returned Juliana, “ Lut tell me—tell me—do you love mer do yuu like 11¢ ?” “Yes—I love you,’ he answered timidly, while his cheeks were crimson. “Oh! and I love you also—full well do I love you!” and the impassioned young lady threw her arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly. “Now do not go away yet—but stop and talk to me a little,” she continued, throwing herself back in the chair, but retaining one of his hands clasped in both her own. “ Have you any relations or friends to be kind and good to you, Frank P” ‘TY have a sister—but for some time past I have beard nothing of her,” said the youth mournfully. ‘‘And this sister—is she older or younger than yourself?” asked Juliana. “Gh! she is several years older than J,” re- sponded the young page. “ And your parents?” said Juliana, inquiringly. “T heard Lord Petersfield one day mentioning to my mother that you never knew them re “ And that is so far true, Miss,” replied Francis, “that even amongst my earliest recollections I can settle my thoughts upon none whom I called either father or mother. And yet there is in my mind the deep conviction that I have more than once seen | nor did she address me as her son! OF THE COURT. 119 my mother, though I called her not by that name, 19? “Tell me, my dear Frank, all that you remember in respect to the circumstances of your past life: for if you do not already perceive it, I must assure you that I am deeply, deeply interested in every- thing that concerns you:’”—and Juliana gazed with tenderness upon him. “ The earliest reminiscences I have,” resumed the young page, “are connected with a pretty little cottage at no great distance from London, but in what part I cannot recollect; and there I and my sister lived with a kind old lady whom we called grandmamma. My sister, who is seven or eight years older than myself, did not then go to school, but was taught the elements ‘of instruction by Mrs. Burnaby: for that was the old lady’s name. I re- member one day when I was six years old that I and my sister were taken by Mrs. Burnaby in a hired carriage to some considerable distance from home. We stopped at a little village where another carriage was waiting for us; and this second car- riage had a coachman with a powdered wig, and a tall footman with a long gold-headed cane in his hand, Both these domestics were dressed in hand- some liveries; and the equipage itself was a very fine one. It bore us to a large and splendid- looking house in the middle of an immense park. On arriving at this house, Mrs. Burnaby conducted me and my sister up-stairs to a room where a lady was lying in bed. Two other ladies were seated by the side of the couch; and they spoke very kindly tome and my Sister. They then quitted the room ; and the moment they were gone, the lady who was in bed took us, kissed us a good deal, and cried very much. She was pale and ill, but so beautiful! We stayed with her some little time—lI did not then calculate how long—I was too young for that—but as far as I have since been able to remember, I should think at least an hour. During that in- terval the lady treated us very kindly—made me sit upon the bed—and played with my hair—patted my face—kissed me—and, in short, lavished upon me the tenderest endearments. She showed an equal affection towards my sister; and when Mrs. Burnaby was about to take us away again, the lady eried so bitterly that I remember both I and my sister cried also. The handsome carriage bore us back to the same spot where it had received us; and there we changed into the hired vehicle which had brought us thither in the earlier part of the day, and which now took us home again. The fol- lowing week my sister was sent to a boarding- school on the sea-coast: but I remained with Mrs. Burnaby. A year after the mysterious visit to the invalid lady, Mrs. Burnaby one evening took me into London in a hackney-coach; and I remember that it stopped at a place which seemed to me at the time like an old church, for it had a tower with an immense clock-fave upon it. We entered this building; and as we ascended the stairs Mrs. Bur- naby told me in a whisper that I was going to see the same lady whom I had visited in the oountry a year before. I was pleased: for I loved that lady on account of her affectionate kindness towards me —and because I felt it was sweet to love and think of her! I recollect a gentleman, dressed in black and with a star on his breast, coming out of a room and speaking for some time in a whisper to Mrs, a a ECOMmMiclboooks (CO)