The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

Rn ee rn ee een ee oo THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 229 “TI am separated from him. But look not so| “None, my lady,” responded Frank. suddenly grave, dear Frank: it was through no| “Then what has made you so long? Surely his fault of mine. However, we have not time to con- | lordship could not have detained you all this verse any longer now. We must separate. Em- | time?” brace me, dear brother. I shall long for to-morrow | ‘“ His lordship detained me a considerable time, afternoon to come, that we may be re-united.” please your ladyship, as the Duke of Harcourt They kissed each other affectionately, and then | called in Portman Square while I was waiting.” took their departure—but not before they had ex- “ But you have been nearly three hours absent,” pressed their thanks to the worthy tradesman who | continued Lady Saxondale, regarding her watch. had so kindly and considerately invited them into | “Surely the Duke of Harcourt did not pay a visit his house. of such length as to account for so much time. I The reader will have observed that Frank Paton | suppose that Lord Petersfield himself kept you in said nothing to his sister about his amour with | conversation. Indeed, I know that his lordship is Juliana Farefield. In the first place it was not a | somewhat interested in you, on account of your subject on which a mere youth, still timid and bash- | orphan condition and your extreme youth. What ful from no very large experience of the world, was | did his lordship say?”—and Lady Saxondale put likely to touch upon in the presence of an elder | the question point blank. sister: and secondly, even if in confidential ingenu- | “His lordship,” returned Frank, “kindly stated ousness he had been so disposed, there was not time | that he would procure me a Government situa- in the hurry of discourse and excitement of feelings | tion ?” attendant upon that first encounter after a sepa-| “And of course you agreed to accept it? Why ration of six long years. While however he was | do you hesitate to answer me? You surely cannot returning home to Saxondale House, the image of | be so blind to your own interests as to refuse such Juliana Farefield crept into his mind; and though an eligible offer? Besides, a proposal coming from on the one hand he was rejoiced at the prospect of ,@ great nobleman like Lord Petersfield, amounts thenceforth living with his sister, who by her ap- | to a command; and such a command is to. be pearance seemed to be in very comfortable circum- | obeyed by one in your position. Still you remain stances,—yet on the other hand he experienced a silent? What is the meaning of this? If you saddening sensation at the idea of being separated | have not given his lordship a decisive answer, you from Lady Saxondale’s daughter. For he loved | should do so at once.” Juliana with an enthusiastic devotion,—loved her “Please your ladyship,” said Frank, at length not only for her splendid beauty, but likewise with | breaking silence, “there is some one whom I must a feeling of gratitude that she should have learnt to | consult before I can pledge myself to a particular love him, a humble page! He loved her too, because | course. But I hope that I shall not be thought she had recognized in him a gentility above his | ungrateful for any intended kindness on his lord- social position—had delicately complimented him | ship’s part, because I act deliberately.” on his intellectual acquirements—and had done all “And pray whom must you consult?” asked she could to make him feel that he ought not to be | Lady Saxondale, for the moment struck with the humble, and obscure, and menial as he was. He| idea that he was thinking of Juliana; and the therefore felt that by this love of her’s he had | crimson glow of indignatioa rushed to her cheeks been in some sense elevated from his lowly station; | at the bare thought that hs was thus hardy enough and as her impassioned endearments had been | to allude to the young laay mm ner own mother’s lavished upon him precisely as if he were her equal | presence. in all respects, he experienced a degree of devotion} ‘Please your ladyship,” answered Frank, “I towards her which now rendered it painful to con- | have this day met my sister, whom I had not seen template a separation. for a long time . While thus giving way to his reflections, Frank | “ Your sister?’ interrupted Lady Saxondale. “I Paton reached Saxondale House; and then for the | did not know that you had any relations.” first time he bethought himself that he had not| “ Yes, my lady: I have a sister—and I met her asked Lord Potersficld if he had any letter or mes- | Just now. To tell the truth, it was because I re- sage to send back. Not knowing exactly what an- | mained conversing with her that I have been so swer to give her ladyship if questioned on the sub- | long absent. She wishes me to leave your ladyship’s “ject, Frank thought that the best plan would be not | service and go to her to-morrow, as she is herself to signify his return at all: but scarcely had he | comfortably off.” made up his mind to this course, when one of the| “And pray who is your sister?’ asked Lady footmen told him that her ladyship’s instructions | Saxondate. were that the instant he returned he was to go up “ fere is her card,” replied Frank, “with her to her. name and address:’—and anticipating not the Frank accordingly ascended to the drawing-room, slightest harm in producing it, he handed the card where her ladyship was seated; and he could not | to his mistress. help thinking, by the earnest manner in which she Lady Saxondale took it: but the instant her eyes fixed her eyes upon him, that she suspected a secret fell upon it, she gave vent to an ejaculation of understanding had subsisted between himself and | astonishment, and her look pecame indeseribably Juliana. For not actually knowing what had oe- | strange, with a blending of malignant mockery, curred after he had left Juliana’s room, he had no | scorn, contempt, and triumph. Frank felt frizht- precise information on the subject—nothing beyond | ened, and knew not what to think. mere conjecture and apprehension. “ And this person—this woman,” said Lady Sax- “Have you brought back any letter or message?” ondale, with accents of bitter irony as she pointed asked Lady Saxondale. | to the card, “is your sister?” — —— oe er CORnnICLOOKS.GO