The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

228 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. never get on at this rate. You must answer me since found out that the red brick building was St. first. Whose livery do you wear ?”’—and her looks James’s Palace.” became suddenly disdainful as she spoke: not dis- | dainful of her brother—for him she caressed fondly she whom we believe to be our mother, was con- at the same time; but disdainful in respect to that nected with the Court?” garb of servitude. “T am at Lady Saxondale’s,” he replied. “ Ah!” ejaculated Elizabeth: “was itso? Then * Listen,” resumed Frank. ‘“ You recollect that the same nobleman with a star upon his breast was “‘ Lady Saxondale’s!” she echoed, with something | the one who took me to see that lady at the beau- like a sudden start, and even a changing of the colour on her truly handsome countenance. “Yes. Do you know her?” cried Frank, per- ceiving those evidences of emotion. “No: but the name is familiar to me,” returned his sister. ‘ Dear Frank, I am so rejoiced—so in- effably rejoiced to see you—you know not how much !” “ And now tell me, dear Elizabeth,” quickly re- sumed Frank, “why for the last four or five years you have not written to me? why have I never heard from you?” ' “Why, my dear brother?” she exclaimed, now becoming red with indignation, and her eyes flash- ing fire. “Oh, why? because I was given to understand that you were dead. Ah! my dear brother, you know not how bitterly, bitterly I wept for your supposed loss! It was treachery of the foulest description: but I can fathom it all—yes, all! Heaven be thanked that you are alive! I could scarcely believe my eyes when they fell upon you—and yet I knew you in an instant!” “But you spoke of treachery, dear sister,” said Frank, in astonishment. ‘‘ Who behaved threacher- ously? What is it that you can fathom P” “The story is much too long to tell you now, dear boy,” she replied, speaking with a sort of maternal air at the moment: for, as the reader has been in- formed, she was nearly eight years older than her brother. ‘ Besides, I am now somewhat pressed for time, and must hasten elsewhere. To-morrow, my dear Krank, you shu:l come to me: and that,” she added emphatically, “shall be the last time you wear this badge of servitude. Tell me, dearest Frank, have you been happy? But I am afraid to ask the question: for when I met you just now, you seemed to be absorbed in profound and melancholy thought.” “T cannot say, dear sister, that I have been alto- gether happy. I have been much troubled by your unaccountable silence: but that source of grief is now, thank heaven, removed. Oh! I am so de- lighted to behold you again, and to see by your ap- pearance that your circumstances must be good. But tell me, dear Elizabeth, have you obtained any clue to te “The reading of past mysteries?” said his sister, anticipating the question. ‘‘ No—not the slightest. And you, Frank P” “Upon that subject I was pondering when your voice—your dear voice, so qu.ckly recognized—fell upon my ear.” “Had anything new occurred to plunge you thus into such deep abstraction ?” “Oh, yes! I will tell you. You remember,” con- tinued Frank, “that when I joined you at the school at Southampton—that was upwards of ten years ago—I told you how I had been taken to a etrange-looking red brick building, where I saw that tiful country-house the last time I ever did see her—and he then conducted me to the school at Southampton. You remember I told you all this, Elizabeth ?” “Certainly. How could I forget it? But go on, dear Frank—go on.” “ Well, that nobleman is, I am convinced, Lord Petersfield—although his lordship denies it.” Frank then proceeded to acquaint his sister with the rest of those particulars which are known to the reader,—how he was so mysteriously provided with the situation of a page at Buckingham Palace— how he had there recognized the two ladies whom he had formerly seen in company with the one whom he believed to be his mother, but how they had denied any knowledge of him. Then he de- scribed how he had accosted Lord Petersfield at the palace—how his lordship had likewise denied all the antecedent circumstances—and how through his lordship’s aid Frank had obtained the situation at Saxondale House after his summary though not ignominious dismissal from the palace. Finally, Francis Paton told his sister all those particulars relative to the portrait in the Court Beauties which have just been deseribed. “Tt is of the highest importance to procure that portrait,” said Elizabeth, who had listened with the deepest attention and most absorbing interest to her brother’s narrative. “It will be certain to afford us a clue to the discovery who the lady was; and if once we ascertain that point, we may follow up the investigation so as to arrive at the trutn whether we indeed have any right to regard her as our parent. You say that the publisher gave you no hope of obtaining a copy, and that Lord Peters- field showed no inclination to give you his own? Well, we shall see? You will come to me to- morrow, Frank: and perhaps I may be enabled to show you the portrait then. Oh! my dear boy, you need not look so surprised: depend upon it I will do my best to obtain one. And now I repeat, you must come to me to-morrow. Let it bein the after- noon—and with or without Lady Saxondale’s per- mission, it matters not; for you shall return to her no more. But now I am going to astonish you somewhat. When you come to me to-morrow, you will find yourself in the home of your child- hood + “What! is it possible?” cried Frank. “I am indeed amazed, but still more rejoiced. How hap- pened it?” “Simply that the cottage was to let and I took it some time back. But perhaps you have never seen it since you quitted it when eight years old ?” “T had altogether forgotten where it was: but it will give me unspeakable pleasure to behold it again to-morrow.” His sister now gave him her card; and as he glanced upon it, he cried with a new outburst of lady again, and where a nobleman with a star upun | astonishment, “Then you are married, dear Elisa- his breast spoke to Mrs. Burnaby? Well, I have | beth! And your husband?” (EO) 0)(0)(0) AMC <) (E)