The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 316: what you’re looking at

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

TE VYSTERIFS OF THE COURT. volving another in his mind; but Lady Saxondale was too much absorbed in the contemplation of her own perilous position, to notice his mood. They continued to walk together for a few miuutes longer, until they heard the voices of Ju- liana and Florina at the extremity of the avenue; and then Harold quickly withdrew his arm from around the admirably modelled form of the superb Lady Saxondale. The night passed; and on the following morning it happened that Harold did receive by the post a letter from a triend in London. It was delivered at the breaktast-table ; and he immediately said that business of urgent importance in connexion with some friend who had fallen into difficulties, required his speedy return to the metropolis; but he added that his absence would only last a few days, at the expiration of which time he should have the pleasure of joining the circle at Saxondale Castle again. His aunt bade him not be so foolish as to hurry off for the purpose of meddling with the affairs of friends in difficulties: but Staunton man- aged to convince her that it was absolutely neces- sary—and Lady Macdonald accordingly said little more upon the subject. ; After breakfast Florina and Juliana went out to- gether to walk in the yarden; and Lady Macdonald sat herself down to read a new novel. Lady Saxon- dale whispered to Staunton to join her in a few minutes in the drawing-room; and thither he ac- cordingly proceeded. “My dear Harold,” she said, “I thank you for this fulfilment of your promise. You know that I am now your’s as much as woman can be, short of the marriage-ties. In surrendering myself to you this night past, I have descended for the first time from that pinnacle of honour which I have main- tained since my husband’s death nineteen years back! Oh! do you not confess that I deserve all you can do for me? But wherefore do you regard me in-so singular a manner ?”’—and Lady Saxondale felt suddenly frightened at the looks of her para- mour. | “ It is time that we should have further explana- tions,” was Staunton’s answer, delivered with the tone of a man who felt that he was exercising an authority which could not be disputed. “What mean you?” asked Lady Saxondale ina faint voice, and trembling all over; for she was sinitten with a presentiment of evil. } “It will be your own fault,” Staunton went on to say, “if we do not settle matters very amicably indeed. You have already said that you are mine as far as woman can be where the marriage vows have not been pronounced. Wherefore should those marriage vows not pass between us?” — Lady Saxondale was confounded and stricken speechless : she could scarcely believe her cars, and | gazed in vacant bewilderment upon Lord Larold. * Now, my dear Harriet,” he resumed, ‘ do not be childish—for we-roust talk seriously. not doubt, that your lite had been pure and spot- less, and that the moment of weakness in which you had given encouragement to Deveril was the one - solitary instance : may as well pass it over as nothing at all. You as- | sured me last night, with a sincerity which I could | but as that led to no result, we _ Now, as | Te ee ee ——————————————————————————————————————————— ‘i 301 or the smile of superciliousness upon the lips of those who had previously been her paramours, I should not have thought of seeking you as a wife if it had not been for that solemn assurance. You have a handsome jointure of your own; besides which, you have a good sum of ready money which you have saved. All this I know, of course, from Edmund. It is true that there is the disparity of a few years between your age and mine: but then I look older than I am, and you look much younger than you are; and therefore the match will not be so incon- sistent after all. Besides, without any flattery, you are of a beauty so splendid that it seems to defy the ravages of Time. Altogether, therefore, you will suit me as a wife better than any lady of my ac- quaintance—that is to say, better than any one who would be likely to have a man of no fortune such as I am.” “Is it possible that you are serious, Harold ?” asked Lady Saxondale, who had listened in mute astonishment to this business-like and matter-of-fact speech, wherein however there was a certain per- vasive under-current of patrician levity. ‘ For if you be perpetrating a jest, it is cruel to joke with me under such circumstances.” “‘T never was more serious in my life,” rejoined Harold: “and I am convinced that when you come to reflect, you will see that it is the best thing I can do for myself: inasmuch as that old uncle of mine Lord Eagledean does not seem at all inclined to die. I have had no letters and no remittances from him within the last two or three weeks, as I had expected; and at all events he could not possibly be offended with me for making such a match—he would regard it as a very excellent one.” “You must be mad, Harold!” exclaimed Lady Saxondale, stamping her foot with impatience. “ If you marry me, how can Edmund marry your sister?” “Permit me to take care of myself and think of my sister afterwards. Do you not comprehend that if Edmund married Florina, it would prove of no pecuniary advantage to myself?—for I could not spunge upon them—whereas by marrying you, I secure to myself a fine position at once. OF course the affair would be broken off between Edmund and Florina; and we should soon find another eligible match for the former, and a wealthy husband for the latter. Depend upon it, my dear Harriet, the scheme is adinirable. I revolved it in my mind all the time I was conversing with you last evenings but I thought it better not to broach 1t until this morning—because I knew that in the interval you would become more truly mine than you were be- fore. Now we are husband and wife in all except the marriage ceremony ; and that may be solemnized in a very short time.” “Do you mean me to understand,” asked Lady Saxondale, determined to come to the point at once, “that you are not making a mere proposal which I am at liberty to reject if I choose, but that you are dictating terms to which I am to submit ?” “ Pray do not sufler aggravating language to pass between us,” rejoined Lord Harold: “or you will compel me to speak more candidly still.” “Then speak candidly!” said ber ladyship im a decisive tone. “T will do so, since you require it. First of all, I confess that it would not be very agreeable to me! you enlisted me in your service to provoke Deveril to marry a demirep and behold the laugh of scorn to a duel, with the solemu understanding that if I Go JOO SS (CO)