The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 272: what you’re looking at

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266 THE MYSTERIFS OF THE COURT. Our young hero visited his sister Christina, and | _ therefore immediately take any step to procure a acquainted her with everything that had occurred. | new situation: nor did he for the present think He displayed so much grief at this sudden and | of leaving his lodging in the vicinage of the Earl’s cruel separation from Isabella Vincent—he spoke | mansion. He had plenty of ready money; and as so fervidly of the love which he cherished towards | his habits were frugal: and inexpensive—his only her—and declared with such passionate yehemence | extravagance consisting in the nicety and almost that his happiness was entirely centred in that | elegance of his apparel—he could subsist for some beauteous and charming creature, that Christina | time on the resources which he had in hand. But from her brother’s words and manner acquired a! how to obtain the interview with IsabellaP This somewhat deeper reading into the mysteries of her | was the difficulty. For several days after he left own heart; and she could now less than ever mis- | the Earl’s employment, he vainly busied himself take the fecling which she herself entertained in meditations upon the best means to carry out towards Lord Octavian Meredith. . But she did his view. More than once he thought of be- her best to console and encourage her brother; and | seeching Lord Osmond’s good offices : “for it was perhaps with this amiable purpose in view, she evident to Christian that the young nobleman was spoke more cheerfully of the hope which a faithful | far from unfavourable to the love-suit which had love might entertain than was perfectly consistent brought about so disastrous a catastrophe in the with the misgivings she seeretly experienced on summer-house. But yet he apphed not to behalf of Christian’s passion. For she could not | Adolphus. help seeing that it was indeed most unlikely the| In the meanwhile the Countess of Lascelles and Earl of Lascelles would ever consent to bestow his | Lord Osmond had been particularly on their niece upon an obscure young man totally depen- | guard, for fear lest the old nobleman’s suspicions dent on his own industry for his bread. should be revived. Nevertheless, Hthel continued Nevertheless, as we have just observed —| to occupy those separate apartments which we Christina—with the kindest of motives—spoke | have on a former occasion described; and on a cheeringly to her brother; and he went away variety of pretexts she avoided a return to the from that interview comforted, and with a sense | matrimonial couch. Lord Osmond deeply de- of reviving hope. As he wended his way back to- plored Christian’s departure from the mansion, as wards his lodgings in Kensington, he felt himself his presence there had caused a diversion in re- gradually falling into those day-dreams in which | spect to Isabella. which had thrown the young youthful lovers are wont to indulge; and his nobleman and Ethel constantly together. Now, thoughts fowed in something like the following since that catastrophe in the summer-honse, Isa- channel :— bella had been almost constantly with the Countess ; “Who can tell what the future may have im | and Osmond began to despair of again enjoying store for me? Heaven has often blessed the loves | Ethel’s society alone. of those whose prospects at the outset were even| As for the Harl himself,—he had been so bewil- darker than mine. Ah! if Icguld but obtaim one | dered by the incidents which led to Christian’s more interview with Isabella—if we could once | summary dismissal, that for several days he knew more exchange vows and protestations of eternal not how to act or what to think. That his son fidelity—I should feel happier: my mind would | and his niece were mot lovers, as he had all become more settled—and £ should have a better | along flattered himself, had suddenly been made heart to search after fresh employment. But as it | apparent: that Christian and Isabella must have is, I feel at a loss how to act: I cam fix my | been far more together than he had supposed, was thoughts upon nothing decisive. Oh, yes! to see likewise evident: and that therefore Osmond must her once more—to receive from her sweet lips the have been the companion of the © es in the assurance that under no circumstances of per- | evening walks in the garden, was a natural de- suasion or coercion will she ever become another’s, 7 duction from those premises. Thus the old Earl —this indeed were happiness! Then, inspired | was agitated with renewed suspicion: but a feel« with fondest and brightest hope, I could battle |ing of mingled pride and shame prevented him with the world;,and if industry and integrity | from again touching on the subject with his valet ever throve by their own unassisted resources, I | Makepeace, and likewise from taking any decisive would assuredly carve out a position for myself. | step—such, for instance, as to insist that his son And who ean tell but that the day will come when | should again become an exile from the house. I may secure a competency, and thus feel myself; At length Lord Osmond was determined to do justified in conducting Isabella to the altar? Our | something to bring about a change in affairs. His wants would be limited: a neat little rural habi- | mad infatuation towards his youthful and lovely tation would suffice: and however humble its | mother-in-law would not permit him to remain aspect, yet the light of love would gild the interior | any longer so completely on his'guard; nor to as if it were a splendid saloon, and impart a richer ‘tolerate the almost complete severance from her bloom to the flowers festooning outside. And we | which Isabella’s presence in her ladyship’s apart- should be so happy—Oh, so happy !—and Isabella | ments necessitated. He spolte-to Makepeace: but would never regret her unecle’s palatial man- | the valet could say nothing more> than that the sion.” | Earl maintained a strict silence) we ee to Such reflections as these—which, as the reader | recent events. may perceive, were borrowed from the fanciful |. One morning—about ten days after € Ohistian’s realms of dream- land—wrapped the soul of the abrupt dismissal from the howse-Lord’ Osmond enthusiastic Christian in a species of eestacy : but ples hima second visit at his lodgings. We have the pivot, be it observed, on which the whole | | already said that our hero had more than once be- vision turned, was the idea of first of all obtain- ing a parting interview with Isabella. He did not thought himself of seeking the young nobleman’s_ good offices towards obtaining an interview with © Commicboolks (€@) =|