The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 242: what you’re looking at

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236 whether there is any chance of Adolphus soon pop- ping the question —or whether he is so timidand bash- ful that he wants me to give him a helping hand.” The old Earl chuckled amazingly at this new scheme: he considered it to be another brilliant stroke of policy on his part;—but for a wonder he He invited Christian to dine at his table that day; and every thing progressed as he could wish: for after the dessert, the usual walk in the garden was pro- posed, though at a somewhat later hour than here- The Earl excused himself, as was his wont; and for about half-an-hour he sat drinking his wine and pondering the various matters he had in hand,—not forgetting his literary labours, which were progressing as rapidly as his own fertile imagination and Christian’s fluent penmanship did not communicate it to Makepeace. tofore. could possibly enable them to do. The half-hour having elapsed, and the dusk coming on, the Earl of Lascelles issued from the mansion—struck into the shadiest avenue—and proceeding stealthily, came near one of the arbours He thought he heard voices speaking in gentle tones: he stopped and listened—he recognised Isabella’s voice—but could not catch what she was saying. Noiselessly, as a serpent gliding amongst the trees which were interspersed about the grounds. and shrubs, did the Earl steal to the rear of that arbour; and there, inwardly chuckling at his astuteness and his cunning policy, he listened. The voices continued speaking in the same low tone as before; and love was assuredly the topie of their discourse. But gradually the suspicion stole into the Earl’s mind that it was not precisely the voice of his'son Adolphus which he heard in conversation with his beautiful niece. His lordship continued to listen with suspended breath, until he could no longer conceal from himself the suspicion—almost amounting to a conviction—that it was none other than Christian Ashton whom he thus heard in tender discourse with Isabella. The Earl was amazed—bewildered—petrified: he felt as if he Were in a dream; and none of the fictitious ad. ventures in his own forthcoming volumes, seemed half so marvellous as this reality. Whether he was standing on his head or his heels, the old nobleman had not a very clear conception. At length, as he began to awaken somewhat from his astoundment, he resolved to have ocular demon- stration of the fact itself ere he proclaimed his presence : for the “optical delusion ” in respect to his wife some weeks back, had made him par. ticularly cautious how he took any rash step. for the future. Therefore, still as noiselessly as a serpent, did the Earl creep along round the arbour,—until he was close by the entrance of that dense um- brageous bower. It was now almost completely dusk; and the Earl, gently protruding his head, looked in. The lovers both at the same instant caught sight of a face thus peeping upon them through the obscurity: but they did not recognise it. Isabella gave a faint scream ; and Christian— smitten with the conviction that it was a piece of impertinent curiosity on the part of the gardener whom he had a little while back seen in the grounds—darted forward and dealt the counte- nance such a vigorous blow that he sent the unfor- tunate old Earl sprawling back into the midst of a group of swectbriar shrubs. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. _ His lordship roared out with the pain: as well indeed he might—for the thorns had entered his person in all directions; and as he had a pair of — light trousers on, it was particularly in the lower limbs that he suffered. Christian and Isabella at once comprehended that it was none other than the Earl himself who was the victim of this catas- trophe. The young maiden was overwhelmed with confusion and dismay: the youth sprang for- ward to drag his lordship forth from the briars; and Lord Osmond at that moment rushed up to the spot. Hearing his father’s cries, Adolphus had fancied there was something wrong; and he had accordingly urged the Countess to return to the mansion while he sped to see what was the matter. “JT am murdered, Adolphus!” exclaimed the Earl in a towering rage: “this young rascal bas vowed to have my life and he has been making love to your cousin Bella !” “Most sincerely and humbly do I beseech your lordship’s pardon,” said Christian, “for the blow which I inflicted ———” “But my nose!” cried the Earl, rubbing his nasal promontory in a most lucicrous manner. “Be off with you, sir!—get out of my sight !— never cross my threshold again!—and whatever is due to you shall be forwarded to your lodging in the morning.” “I hope, my dear father,’ interposed Lord Osmond, “ that you will deal leniently . “What! with this nose of mine all swollen and puffed up!—my good looks spoilt!” vociferated the Earl. ‘‘ Where is the Countess ?” he abruptly demanded. “Oh, she has been in-doors for some time,” replied Adolphus. “She complains of head- ache a * Ah, well,’ interrupted the Earl], satisfied that it was all right in that quarter: “the Countess acted prudently to go in-doors. Come, Beila, away with us at once! Take your cousin’s arm It is shocking of you to have listened to this jackanapes of a boy when you know that Adolphus is “Hush, my dear father!” hastily whispered the young nobleman: “poor Bella is dreadfully agitated! And you, Mr. Ashton,” he added, now turning quickly to our hero, and speaking in a low hurried voice, ‘‘ depart at once—your presence only irritates my father. Rest assured that I will do all I can to intercede in your behalf.” He wrung Christian’s hand as he spoke—pushed the youth forward to hasten his departure—and then giving his arm to Isabella, whispered, ‘* Cheer up, my dear cousin: we will see what can be done for the best!” But Isabella was weeping bitterly; and on re- gaining the house, she hurried up to her own chamber,—where she gave unrestrained vent to her affliction. Meanwhile the Earl of Lascelles repaired to his dressing-room, to detail his grievances to Makepeace, and to have a poultice applied to his nose, which was somewhat swollen from the effects of the blow so vigorously dealt by Christian. On the following morning Lord Osmond called | upon our hero at his lodgings; and with much real sorrow informed him that though both the Countess and himself had pleaded their utmost NOOLKS