The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

178 “ My dear friend,” rejoined the dissipated young noblemaa, “ I must confess that I have not behaved well—especially as you know I am very fond of Flo. But when one gets hold of a new mistress f “Understand me, Edmund,” interrupted Lord Harold, “I do not at all object to your amour with Emily Archer: but I must remind you that being engaged to my sister, you at least ought to show her proper attention. However, if you pay your re- spects in Cavendish Square to-morrow, you ean make some apology for your neglect. Take care hew you keep the vizor of your helmet up too long while drinking your lemonade; for some one might enter this alcove abruptly, and recognize you—in which case you would lose all the amusement of the incognito for the rest of the evening.” “Trust me,’ exelaimed Edmund, .“I do not mean to spoil my fun, I can assure you.” “Tell me, my dear fellow,” said Staunton; “ what on earth put it into your head to wear such a dress as that? It must keep you as stiff as if encased in buckram. And as for dancing, of course you will not think of such a thing with your pasteboard @Fmour.”” “T will tell you, Harold, why I had this suit made for me,” responded Saxondale. ‘ You know that I am descended from an ancestor who founded my family in the time of the Tudors; and so I ‘thought I could not do better than represent my ancestor here to-night.” “ Are your mother and sisters coming ?”’ Harold. “ To tell youthe truth I know very little about it, but I believe that Juliana and Constance had fancy- dresses made. And as for my lady-mother, I have not heard her say anything on the subject. For myself, I had my pasteboard panoply sent, a8 you know, to your lodgings——” “ Yes—and a precious deal of traible Alfred and I had to put your armour on for you,’ observed Lord Harold. “If the knights of the olden time had so much difficulty in getting on their mail, they must have spent half their lives in dressing and the other half in undressing again.” “ And now I bethink me,” exclaimed Saxondale, as a sudden recollection struck him, “ we were so occupied in fitting on this precious*armour of mine, when I was with you in Jermyn Street this even- ing, that you had not leisure to finish the anecdote you had commenced.” “Tt can be told in a few words,” rejoined Lord Harold. ‘“ But here—read this note, if you can manage to do so through the bars of your helmet. You may perceive it was dated the day before yes- terday.” Thus speaking, Staunton drew forth a billet, which he handed to Lord Saxondale, who received it with his pasteboard gauntlet ; and having clumsily managed to open it, read the following lines :— inquired ‘““To THE LORD HAROLD STAUNTON, ‘«« A lady who loves you, but of whose passion you are not aware, desires an opportunity of conversing with you for a few minutes and without restraint. This opportu- nity will be afforded by the nifisquerade-ball given by Wednesday evening, and to which you are no doubt in- vited. It will be desirable, for the purposes of mutual recognition, that the costumes we are respectively to — wear, should be previously known to each other. Permit me therefore, by virtue of my sex, to dictate to you ——ntae t OLL LA their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Harcourt next ) not,” answered Lord Harold Staunton. -” ———~, a ee tA CL LL LE LL AA THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. the apparel in which you must appear, and which will best become that handsome person which has made so deep an impression on my heart. Lord Harold, for that occasion you must play the part of a Spanish Cavalier: and inasmuch as it is possible that there may be other gentlemen who will choose the same elegant and pic- turesque style of costume, I beseech you to wear in front of your cap the diamond-clasp which I enclose. You may know me by the costume of Queen Isabella of Spain —not the child-Queen of the present day, but the wife of the great Ferdinand and the patroness of Christopher Columbus. As the Queen of Spain therefore, it will only be fitting and proper that I should receive your homage; and I shall accordingly expect to be accosted by my gallant Spanish cavalier on Wednesday night at Har- court House. In order to give additional weight to this mandate, I sigu myself for the present, “ISABELLA OF SPAIN.” The writing was in a female hand, but evidently disguised ; and as Lotd Saxondale returned the note to Harold Staunton, he glanced through the bars of his helmet at the clasp alluded to therein. It was a beautiful and costly ornament, and was therefore an unmistakable token that the fair writer of the letter, whoever she might be, intended no jest, but was in downright earnest. “You are a fortunate fellow, Harold,” observed Edmund: “and this love-affair promises to be of a very interesting nature. Of course, you have not the slightest idea who the lady is ?” “Not the slightest,” responded Staunton. “I know nothing more than you yourself have gathered from that letter. It was left at my lodgings the day before yesterday, by some messenger who imme- diately went away. Whether the lady is old or young, handsome or ugly, tall or short, I know no more than yourself: but I should hope and imagine that she possesses some share of beauty—otherwise she cannot expect that her gift of the diamond-clasp will be sufficient to chain me to her chariot wheels.” “ Depend upon it she is handsome,’ observed Edmund: “for she must have great faith in her own charms and be accustomed to conquest, thus to single you out as the object of her passion.” “That is just what I think,” rejoined Staunton; “and unless she is a very great fool, she must be tall and elegant, and possess a queenly figure to have chosen the costume in which she is to make her appearance. But the room seems to be filkng now: let us lounge forth from this aleove again. We shall have to separate presently, Edmund, when my unknown inamorata makes her appearance, and perhaps she may engross me for all the rest of the evening. Therefore we may as well make an ap- pointment for to-morrow—that is to say, unless you intend to cut me altogether and devote yourself entirely to Emily Archer.” “How can you say such a thing, Harold?” ex- claimed Saxondale. ‘“ You know very well that I consider you my best friend. We will dine together to-morrow evening at Long’s, and chat over all things interesting to ourselves. So that is an ap- pointment, remember. By the bye, have you made any progress in your pursuit of the beautiful Angela Vivaldi ?’ “Candidly speaking, my dear Edmund, I have “T cannot even find out where she lives; and you know per- fectly well that the idea of obtaining access to her at the Opera is preposterous. But I have not GO 0)(0)(6) eS (€©)