The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

we « THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 247 had abandoned herself up to the pleasures of a| shame that she has not even had the decency, the guilty love with Francis PatonP Yes: nor had | delicacy. or the consideration to conccal her frailty Faliana concealed from her the discovery of her | from you. Do not attempt to deny it, Constance,” aicur by Lady Saxondale, and the flight of the | | added Lady Saxondale, impetuously; “I can read yeung page from the mansion. Thus was it that | vour thoughts upon your countenance as plainly as Yonstance had the evil examples of a mother and a | if they were printed in a book.” sister befure her eyes; and as she contemplated The young lady made no answer: she looked con- them, it was natural that her own imagination | fused and ashamed—indeed well nigh overwhelmed: should be excited. Therefore was it that with the | and her looks fell beneath those of her mother: for delicacy which had at first characterised the love of she felt that there was a guiltiness even in being tho Constance Farcfield, thoughts and feelings of a | confidante in her sister’s guilt. She felt too that sha grosser contexture imperceptibly and insidiously | would not have thus been made a confidante at all, blended themselves; and she looked forward with | were she not of a kindred spirit, or else having lmpatience for the day that was to make her the | some love-secret of her own; and all these things Marquis of Villebelle’s own. she naturally perceived at a glance must be fathomed While thus giving way to her reflections, as she | by her mother. sat half reclining upon the sofa, the door opened,| “ Now, Constance,” said Lady Saxondale, “I wish ard Lady Saxondale entered the room. Constance | to have some serious conversation with you. Ed- blushed for a moment, fearing lest her thoughts | mund rebels against me—Juliana flies in my face. should be penetrated by the keen eye of her mother: | Tell me at once, that I may either have something but instantly recovering her self-possession,—for | to console me or else know the worst this moment, she also was rapidly becoming an adept in hypo- | —tell me, I say, are you still my own good, kind, crisy,—she made room for Lady Saxondale to sit | obedient daughter ? or are you prepared to imitate down by her side. And now she observed that her | the example of your brother and sister P” mother’s looks were grave and serious, almost to “Oh, my dear mamma!” exclaimed Constance, solemnity; and she rapidly thew a mental retro- | snatching her mother’s hand and carrying it to her qpection over recent incidents in connexion with | lips, while the tears streamed down her face, “duo herself, to ascertain whether anything could have | not think too bad of Edmund and J ies? pussibly betrayed her sccret meetings and cor- | allowances for them——” respondence with the Marquis of Villebclle. “Tt is of yourself, Constance, that I am speak- “ My dear Constance,’ said Lady Saxondale, ing now. Let there be no evasion. In what light fixing her eyes in a scrutinizing manner upon her, ; am I to regard youP—as a dutiful or a rebellious “it is my purpose to leave town almost immediately | child? as one who will minister to your mother’s end pass two or three months at the Castle in Lin-| consolation, or help with the rest to break her colnshire. Of course you will be prepared to ac- | heart ?” company me P” *‘ How can you ask me?” murmured Constance, “When do you think of leaving ?” asked Con- | profoundly touched by Lady Saxondale’s words. stance, for a moment taken aback by this announce- | “ Would to heaven that I could see you happy!” ment, yet again speedily recovering herself. “Then I take this as an assurance that you aro _ “The day after to-morrow,” replied Lady Saxon- | my own dutiful Constance still :’—and Lady Saxon- dale. dale kissed her daughter upon the forehead. “ But “ But isnot this resolve somewhat hasty on your | let me put your filial obedience to the test. Con- part, my dear mamma ?” asked Constance. stance,” she suddenly exclaimed, “look me in the “Tt may be so: but I am sick and wearied of | face! There like that——and now answer me London life. The truth is, Constance, I am not answer me, I say, as if you were replying to happy. I fear that I have cherished rebellious | your God answer me, and say whether you your- chidren——” . self are still the pure, chaste, and innocent being which I love to think you are? or whether you | * Oh, you must not speak thus!” interrupted the young lady, touched by the mournfulness of her | also are fallen and disgraced ?” mother’s tones and looks. “I hope that you donot | A quick blush suffused itself over the young include me in this sweeping accusation?” Alas, I | lady’s countenance—but her looks quailed not bo- 6m well aware that Edmund 1s not quite so steady | neath those of her mother: and she replied, “ I as he ought to be take heaven to witness that I am as you love to “ No—very, very far from it!” ejaculated Lady | think me!” Saxondale: then with exceeding bitterness, she “T believe you, Constance—I believe you,” was went on tosay, “ You know not all that I have suf- | Lady Saxondale’s rapid response. “ But now I wish tered through his irregularities, his disobedience, his | to touch upon another subject. From Juliana’s owe cruelties towards myself——But enough upon that | lips,” she continued more slowly, “did I learn that head!” she added with a haughty bridling up. | you bothoverheard a conversation which the other day “ “{t is not for me to complain thus of a son to a| took place between myself and an impertinent in- daughter. Constance,”—and now Lady Saxondale trusive old vulgarian named Gunthorpe. Was this fixed her eyes with a peculiar earnestness upon hor | proper on your part, Constance ? was it kind, was it youngest child,—‘tell me candidiy, are you alto- | generous, to become an eayes-dropper in respect to gether in Juliana’s confidence? Ah! that tell-| the affairs of your own parent? But I will not re- tale blush—that sudden start——” proach you for that fault. inasmuch as you have “Dear mother, what do you mean?” ejaculated | now given me the assurance of duteous and filial Constance, frightened at the change which had sud- | obedience. It is done: it cannot be recalled. But aczly swept over Lady Saxondale’s countenance. let me ask—do you believe the vile calumnies which “I mean that Juliana is so shameless in har! Mr. Guathorpe on that occasion thought fit to hurl a a GomiGsvooksteo