The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 145: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. freshments. Nothing could be more sensuously | refined than everything which met his view. The apartment flooded with light—the rich furniture— the crimson draperies—the brilliant mirrors—the wine sparkling in the decanters—the fruit in the dishes of cut glass and in china baskets—and the ravishing loveliness of the four young women who were to be his companions at the festival,—all combined to elevate his spirits and win him away from certain sombre reflections which had been hanging upon his soul ere he sought the present scene. The atmosphere of the apartment was warm and perfumed, but without a sickly oppres- siveness: the brilliant light was reflected in the eyes of the four charmers—it made their teeth gleam like pearls—their lips have the vivid sem- blance of wet coral: it displayed the dazzling transparency of their complexions to the utmost advantage—it shed a richer gloss on their naturally shining hair. “Come, my dear Marchmont,” said Lettice, “and let me sit on one side of you.” « And I,” said the young Irish girl, “on the other.” “But Marchmont loves to be at his ease,” cried the sprightly Armantine: and she bounded from the room,—in a few minutes returning with a costly flowered silk dressing-gown, the produc- tion of which elicited peals of merry laughter from herself and her companions. “Come,” said Linda, the German girl, “ off with the coat and on with the dressing-gown! It makes you look so much as if you felt yourself at home.” “Have your own way,” said the Duke. now to table, you merry romps.” They sat down: the champagne quickly began to circulate—laughter pealed like silver bells around—the Duke felt himself gay—he forgot whatsoever cares had been troubling him—he plunged headlong as it were into the vortex of pleasure, in order to drown his recollections. Be if understood that the young women were not merely well educated, but accomplished likewise. They had belonged to genteel families, from whose bosom they were beguiled away by the infamous agents of the still more infamous Madame An- gelique ; and if there were at any time remorseful feelings in their souls, they were compelled to stifle them as well as they could; for they felt that they had entered upon a career whence there was no retrogression. But they were accomplished, we say : they all had good conversational powers—and the discourse became as sparkling as the wine which gave it zest. After a while, when the whole party were exhilarated, they got up and danced ; and the Duke abandoned himself with a sort of wild frenzy to the hilarious proceeding. Were he a youth of eighteen or twenty, he could not have entered more completely into this fun and frolic. At length, when exhausted with waltzing and romping, he threw himself upon a chair; and the champagne-glasses were filled again. “Long live such gaiety as our’s!” cried March- mont, lifting up his glass in one hand, while the other arm encircled the splendid shape of the gorgeously handsome Lettice. “Oh, for ever such gaiety as this!” exclaimed Linda, who had likewise thrown herself upon a seat: and as she held her glass up, she watched “ And a 139 the sparkling of the wine ere she conveyed it to her sensuously breathing lips. “That wicked Marchmont has whirled me round so,” cried the Irish girl, “that he has tired me out !’—and she threw herself upon a footstool. “ Moisten your lips with fruit,” said Armantine, as she sped to the table; and quickly returning with a china basket containing melon, pine-apple, oranges, apples, pears, and grapes, she placed it on the carpet at the Duke’s feet., Then, likewise seating herself upon a footstool, she listened while Marchmont and Lettice sang together a Bacchanalian English song. What a scene of luxurious enjoyment, blended with the ravishments of feminine beauty, was that for the pencil of an artist ! Jt was past one in the morning when March- mont thought of taking his departure. He placed under one of the fruit-dishes a sum of money in bank-notes, as a mark of his liberality towards the charming companions of his revel; and then he drew Lettice aside into a window-recess, where he conversed with her for a few minutes in alow tone of voice. The other three girls chatted to- gether at the opposite extremity of the room: they heard not what passed between Marchmont and lLettice Rodney—neither did they seek to catch a single word. They were all on the friend- lest terms with one another: they had no jealousy. Their exquisite beauty ensured to them all an equal amount of favour on the part of their aris- tocratic patrons; and being girls of good education —feeling too at times their lost and degraded posi- tion, they knew how useless it was to aggravate it by petty contentions amongst themselves, The conversation between the Duke and Lettice terminated: the nobleman embraced all four one after another, and then took his departure. clas CHAPTER XXVII. COVENT GARDEN. On the following day Christian Ashton was en- gaged, as usual, in the forenoon, attending to his ducal employer’s correspondence ; and when it was terminated, he rose to withdraw from the library ; but Marchmont said, “Sit down again, Christian : I wish to speak to you.” The youth resumed his chair, and prepared to listen attentively to whatsoever might be addressed to him, “T think, Christian,’ continued his Grace, “that you are happy and comfortable in your pre- sent situation—and that inasmuch as your welfare is looked after by me, you yourself are willing and anxious to give me every possible satisfaction.” “Tt is my duty, so long as I eat your Grace’s bread,” responded the youth—thus avoiding the necessity of telling a falsehood by the assertion that he was happy in the Duke’s employment. “‘T expected no less from your lips,” continued Marchmont. ‘There is a little service which you will have to render me. To-morrow I go with her Grace to Oaklands: but you will not follow until the early part of next week. You will thus have a little holiday, and plenty of opportunities to see your charming sister. Next Tuesday night at (C(O)INN) 0)(0)(0) (C S (C(O)