The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES But when Christina was alone, and enabled to deliberate without restraint upon the incident just described, what was the nature of her thoughts? Guileless and unsophisticated though she were, she could not possibly help feeling that there was in Octavian’s ejaculations a certain enthusiasm and a wildness of fervour thoroughly disproportionate to the occurrence itself, and which therefore raised up a vague and indistinct suspicion in the young damsel’s mind. And now too, as she pondered thereupon,—back to her memory came the incident which marked the first day of her arrival, and which we ere now recalled to the remembrance of the reader. She began to see, too, that there was something more than she had previously fancied in Octavian’s conduct in calling on her, after the duel, under a feigned name—ané also in so urgently be- seeching her not to mention their previous acquaint- ance to Zoe. All these reflections naturally engen- dered new ideas and troubling suspicions in the mind of Christina. Still the purity of her nature made her endeavour to throw off the influence of these suspicions: but she could not. And furthermore, in strictly and carefully analyzing her own feelings, the conviction gradually stole into her mind that it was more with surprise than displeasure—more with amazed confusion than with indignation or anger—that she had heard at the time those ejaculations sent forth from Octavian’s lips. She shuddered with an un- known feeling. She felt as if she were doing some- thing wrong: she thought that she should no longer remain beneath that roof—and indeed that she never ought to have tarried there at all when once she found that a secret subsisted between her- self and Octavian and which was to be withheld from Zoe. Yet what was she to doP To attach of her own accord importance to those ejaculations no, cer- tainly not! To leave the house precipitately, and without being able to assign any specific cause equally impossible! She must remain there- fore—at least for the present: there was no other step to be taken. The reader will not be sur- prised that Christina mentioned not the incident at the time to her brother: it would have been to shock the delicacy of her own soul—to be out- raging her own feelings, were she to attach import- ance to Octavian’s ejaculations, or to take it upon herself to give them a specific significancy. Weeks again passed away—but not in the same manner as before. If ever Octavian and Christina found themselves alone together—which, as they dwelt beneath the same roof, necessarily occurred now and then—there was a mutual constraint: it was a feeling of uneasiness, an awkwardness and embarrassment, reciprocally visible. It appeared as if Octavian had something to say, but dared not give utterance toit; and as if Christina longed to dart from the room, but dared not take a step which would be so significant. Nor, when con- versing in Zoe’s presence, did the young nobleman and Christina look each other in the face with the same frankness as before. Octavian dared not trust his own regards—and Christina dared not meet them. Thus painfully progressed matters after the little accident on the staircase. Nor again need the reader marvel if Christina made not a confidant of her brother: for if she’analyzed her own feelings, OF THE COURT. 223 she could not comprehend them—much less could she have explained them. It was with an effort that she now maintained a degree of cheerfulness : whatsoever gaiety she exhibited, was not natural as it was wont to be—but it was forced. At length another incident occurred which proved in its con- sequences more serious still. It was the beginning of April: the genial breath of an early Spring was wooing the trees and the hedges to put forth their verdure, and the early flowers to show signs of returning animation. One day Zoe expressed a desire to take a drive into the country in a new phaeton which her husband had just purchased. It happened however that the domestic who attended the equipages, had that very morning received a slight injury from one of the horses, and was unable to do his usual duty. But Octavian—who now more than ever strove to maintain the kindest treatment towards his amiable and devoted wife—was determined that she should not be disappointed ; and he suggested that as he himself would drive, they could easily dispense with the livery-servant. They accord- ingly set out in the new phaeton, drawn by a pair of handsome galloways, caparisoned in the most tasteful manner. Lord Octavian occupied the box: Lady Octavian and Christina were seated together. The drive took place through the northern suburbs of London, and into the country in the direction of Enfield. The horses were a new acquisition, as well as the vehicle itself: they proved to be spirited, and one of them gave some little indications of being vicious. Zoe questioned her husband upon the subject: but he assured her that there was no danger. The young lady was reassured; and the equipage rolled on to some considerable distance from London. Presently, on the summit of a hill, the sudden opening of the gate of a stable-yard attached to an isolated dwelling, caused the vicious-disposed gal- loway to shy: whereupon Meredith, in a somewhat intemperate manner, bestowed three or four good stripes upon the animal. They both set off at full speed,—tearing down the hill as if they were mad —the phaeton flying along like a thing of no weight—or as if it were a feather borne on the wing of a hurricane, ** For heaven’s sake, sit fast !” exclaimed Mere- dith, who was doing all he could to hold in the apparently frenzied animals. Zoe and Christina exchanged affrighted glances, —each perceiving that the other was as pale as death. And no wonder !—for there seemed to be every prospect that the equipage would be dashed to pieces,—swerving as it did from one side of the road to the other—now with the wheels on one side half up a bank—then the next moment a similar process taking place with the wheels on the other side—and the steeds still continuing to tear on in utter defiance of Meredith’s endeavour to hold them in. Long as it has taken us to describe all this, it was nevertheless the work of but a very few minutes; and as the equipage dashed pre- cipitately down to the bottom of the steep Mill, it was suddenly upset by the side of the road. The very instant Meredith found the phaeton overturning, he sprang out with a marvellous agility; and though he fell—yet, as it was upon some grass, he escaped comparatively unhurt, and was immediately upon his feet. Christina and Go DOO S CO