The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 137: what you’re looking at

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and an allowance of pocket-money. I was also well clothed; and thus far wanted for nothing. But no kind word was ever spoken to me—no endeavour was made to solace my young heart in the dreary monotony of the life which I led. Well, the eight years passed away; and when I reached the age of sixtcen, I was one morning told by the schoolmaster that I was no longer to remain uuder his care, but was to proceed to London. I asked him what were the future intent*ons of those invisible persons who appeared to have the control of my destiny? but he was either really ignorant upon the subject, or else had his own private motives for refusing to give me any information thereon. He wrote upon @ piece of paper the name of an hotel where I was to stop on my arrival in London ; and giving me money for my journey, he bade me farewell. It was eight: o’clock in the evening when I reached the me- tropolis; and it was at Hatchett’s Hotel in Picca- dilly where, according to the instructions given, I took up my quarters. On the following morning, just as I had concluded my breakfast, I received a letter which had been left for me, and which came from aclerk in the Lord Steward’s office at Bucking- ham Palace. This letter informed me that the Ifousehold was at my service. I was delighted. Tucre seemed to ke something grand in being one of the Queen’s Pages; and methought it would furnish the stepping-stone to a career in which I should be enabled by zeal and good conduct to push my way to higher posts—perhaps to eminence ! beating heart and exultant spirits did I repair to the palace; but scarcely had I entered upon the d.ties of my situation, when I found that they were entirely of a menial character. I had hoped to be- eomea Gentleman Page; but I found myself cruelly disappointed. Yet, what could do? My means of existence depended upon an absolute resignation to my lot: for if I threw up my post, to whom could I apply for employment ? I therefore made up my mind to fulfil my destiny with as much cheerfulness as possible: but as I lay awake at nights I could not help asking myself many questions, and suffering my imagination to wander in a bewildering maze of conjectures. Why had I been broughtup genteelly, if only intended for a menial office P wherefore had hid I been educated with young gentlemen ata boarding-school and taught to believe myself a gentleman also, if no brighter lot than that of a lac- quey were in reserve for me? how was it that having in my earliest youth been fondled and eiressed by an elegant lady, the infiuence of her love, even thouch following me unperceived, had not saved me from such a degradation as this? ese and a thousand other quest#ons did I ask my- sclf: but no solution could I possibly find for them. Various circumstances however gradually transpired to make me acquainted with new and still more be- wi'dering facts associated with my earlier years. On the very first occasion, after my installation at — 3uckingham Palace, that I had an opportunity of walking out to view the metropolis, I chanced to pass down St. James’s Street ; and the moment I eaurht a glimpse of the old red brick building at the bottom, I recognized it. Yes—though nine years had elapsed since I first beheld that old tower with the huge clock-face, I had never forgotten it. Still ignorant of what the building was, I inquired of a THE MYSTERIES With a’ OF THE COURT. passer- by: he told me it was St. James’s Palace, and then hurriedly continued his way, thinking that mine was the mere question of curiosity put bya stranger in London. But he left me there, nailed to the spot with astonishment. St. James’s Palace! Was that lady who had embraced me so tenderly— who had wept over me—and who did not answer me when I asked if she were my mother—was shea dweller in that palace? Ifso, must she not be con- nected with the Court ? and in my present position was it not probable that I should sooner or later fallin with her? Oh! but if she were dead? I burst into tears at the thought; and perceiving that I had already become the object of attention on the part of several persons in the street, I rushed rapidly on. In order to convince myself that I was not mistaken in respect to the identity of St. James’s Palace with that building to which Mrs. Burnaby had conducted me to see the beautiful lady whose tearful countenance was always uppermost in my mind, I approached the edifice and examined its ex- terior narrowly. Yes—it was the same: there could be no doubt of it! And it was in that palace, therefore, that on one occasivn I had seen her whom _I believed to be my mother !” situation of Page-of-the-Back-Jtairs in the Royal | Francis Paton again paused through deeply stirred emotions: and Juliana, making him bend down towards her, lavished tender caresses upon his ex- quisitely handsome countenance. She then besought him to proceed; and he continued his: narrative in the following manner :— “A few weeks after the incident I have just men- tioned, her Majesty the Queen held a levee at St. James’s Palace. My duties called me thither; and I inwardly hoped that I should have an opportunity of still farther confirming my belief that it was indeed there I had seen the lady of my story. Nor was I disappointed. I recognized the very corridor in which Mrs. Burnaby had stopped to earry on her whispered conversation with the gentleman having the star upon his breast—or rather the nobleman ; for such, since my acquaintance with courtly usages, I had found he must be, the star being the emblem of his aristocratic rank. And the room where I had seen the lady? Yes—lI had no trouble in recog- nizing that also: for there were the portraits of the Kings of England, with the crowns upon their heads and the sceptres in their hands! As EF stood in that room surveying those and all other familiar objects, what a gush of memories swept through my brain! what a tide of emotions surged up = my breast! Methought that I still beheld that laay with her beautiful countenance all bedewed in tears. seated on the sofa where I had once seen her, and where too I had sat upon her knees and been strained to her bosom ;—and for a few minutes I was blinded with my weeping. Oh! if she were my mother? Why, why was I unacknowledged—and my sister also? Was it that we were the children of shame? Alas, alas, poor mother !”’ Again did Francis Paton pause, well nigh over- come by hisemotions; and Juliana, deeply touched by his tale, lavished upon him the tenderest caresses. She spoke soothingly to him—she said all she could think of to break down the artificial barrier which separated them and make him feel himself upon an equal and familiar footing. The youth saw and ap- preciated these evidences of love on her part, and was profoundly moved thereby; so that it was with LLL LL LCC LL SC Lt ECORNICLOOO (C <S) (€©)