The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

LA A I OEE LI ELLE LLL LLL, LLL SLES OLD OL BED THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. the room? In fine, was she an intriguing adven- turess who had feigned a desperate resistance with a view to enhance the charm, the value, and the excitement of an eventual surrender ?—or was she really a woman of virtueand character, summoning all her presence of mind to aid in crushing the arrogant pretensions which he had dared to proffer ? With the more than lightning speed at which thought alone can travel, did these reflections gush through the mind of the Earl as he rose from his knees and fixed his looks in mingled amazement and doubt upon the incomprehensi- ble beauty. She moved towards an arm-chair— and as he followed her with his eyes and dwelt on the swimming voluptuousness of her gait, his im- pure imagination at once suggested that a being of such glowing beauty and capable of exciting such sensuous rapture in the soul, could not her- self be indifferent to love’s enjoyment nor inexpe- rienced in its ways. Nurtured in the midst of fashionable profligacy and high-life demoralization, it was not astonishing if the Earl of Curzon at no time entertained a particularly exalted opinion of female virtue ;—and on the present occasion his excited feelings and inflamed temperament, aided by his personal vanity and conceit, led him to imagine and to hope that the scene had inspired the lady with sensations akin to those that were thrilling to his own heart’s core. She seated herself in the arm-chair;—and the moment that her countenance was again turned towards the Earl, his eyes greedily and searchingly sought to read in her looks whether there was really a covert. levity in her manner and a subdued wantonness in her breast. But asif she penetrated his design and scorned the imputation which it conveyed, her features again assumed that look of sovereign hauteur which they had ere now put on and which had been so successfully practised in the mirror before the Earl’s arrival. “Be seated, my lord,” she said, pointing with a queen-like imperiousness of gesture towards a chair at some distance from that which she had just taken. “You are a judge—about to pronounce my doom,” exclaimed the nobleman, as he retreated to the chair which she thus indicated. “But I im- plore youto have mercy upon one whom your charms have bound captive, and whom your deci-. sion will either elevate to elysian happiness or plunge into the darkest despair.” “A truce to this extravagant poetising, my lord,” said Venetia, in a cold voice and witha dig- nified look. “ You have already indulged in too many meaningless phrases and empty flatteries ; and I am not going to answer you in the style of those pretty nothings which gentlemen and ladies toss from one to the other with so much elegant ease in the conversations of fashionable life.” * By all means, Miss Trelawney,” said the Earl, “let the discourse become as serious as you will: for when the subject of love is solemnly dealt with, there is every hope for the impassioned lover.” “And your lordship, then, seriously and solemnly avows an affection towards me?” ob- served Miss Trelawney, with a look as calmly se- date as her question was business-like and pointed. *Onmy soul I love you passionately — I adore you!” exclaimed the Earl, placing his right hand 19 upon his breast and once more*making a movement as if he were about to rush forward and fall at her feet. “T accept your answer as a sober avowal and a deliberate affirmative,” said Venetia, with an im- perious gesture that commanded him to retain his seat: then, with an air of the calmest and fullest self-possession, she observed, “I presume that when your lordship sought my presence just now, instead of delivering the bird to the domestic at the door, it was with the intention of thus honour- ing me by a proposal of marriage ?” “ Marriage!” echoed the Earl, startled by a word the mention of which seemed to imply a terrible misconception on Miss Trelawney’s part, and at the same time involved himself in a most awkward dilemma as to the terms in which he must now ex- plain the views and hopes that had all along ani- mated him. “ Yes—marriage, to be sure,” said the lady. “ Have you not just made me an offer of marriage asintelligibly as words could possibly convey such a proposal ?” “Marriage!” repeated the nobleman, confused and bewildered. “Really, Miss Trelawney — we have been misunderstanding each other——Oh! my dearest Venetia, why tantalise me _ thus cruelly 2” he exclaimed, in a sudden paroxysm of excitement: “ why torture me——” But he stopped short—amazed, if not positively overawed by the look of grand dignity and sub- lime indignation which Venetia bent upon him as she slowly rose from her chair. “Explain your meaning, my lord, when you dared to avow that you loved me!” she said, in a voice admirably befitting that imposing air. “Ts it possible that you did not understand me ?” he exclaimed, half in terror that the scene was eenuine on her side—and half in hope that it was a mere pleasantry to which she would speedily put an end by dissolving into smiles and sinking into his arms. “When an honourable man tells a woman of stainless character that he loves her,” was Venetia’s dignified response, ‘‘there can be no misunder- standing as to the meaning of his words.” “ But wherefore—On! wherefore allude to those trammels which the world denominates marriage ?” exclaimed the Earl. ‘“ Wherefore——” “Stop, my lord!” said the lady, with another im- perious gesture. ‘Did you intend to proffer mar- riage to me—yes or no? Spare eyasion—ayoid subterfuge—and give me a direct reply in a mo- nosyllable.” “Marriage, my dear Venetia “Your answer, my lord—yes or no?” * But I must explain 4 “Your answer, I say! Yes orno?”—and while her countenance flushed with the richest, warmest glow, she stamped her foot impatiently upon the carpet. “ Venetia, you cannot be ignorant of the fact that I am already married,” said the Earl,—* but to a woman whom I do not love—whereas I adore and worship you! Oh! be not angry with me——” “Enough, my lord!” cried the lady abruptly: and her whole form appeared to dilate with the dignity of an offended, outraged woman — but a dignity which rather asserted itself through the medium of a withering scorn than a fiery indigna- ” CONMICIOOMKS Go