Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-07

l greatest kindness and consideration, far i rather more than two muEths, when assb l incident occurred VI. Sch cansed the seafssl l to fall suddenly from the astonished moth~ CTS eyes, and i'll 8 moment revealed to
 her the extent of the risk and mischief she had so heedlessly incurred The car
 riage was at the door, and it struck Mrs.
 Rushton as she was descending the stairs that Mademoiselle de Tourville, who had complained of headache in the morning, 1 would like to take an airing with her. The sound of the harp issuing from the drawing room, and the faintly- distinguish- ed tones of her voice in some plaintive silver melody perhaps suggested the in-. vitation; and thither the mistress of the mansion at once proceeded. The folding l doors of the back drawing room were par tlally open when Mrs. Rushton, on kind thoughts intent, entered the front apart ment. Mademoiselle de Tourville was seated with her back towards her, at the harp, pouring forth with her thrilling and delicious voice a French romaunt; and there, with his head supported on his elbow, which rested on the marble chim- ney-piece, stood her son, Arthur Rushton, gazing at the apparently unconscious song stress with & look so full of devoted ten derness-so completely revealing the in- tenslty of passion by which he was pos essed-that Mrs. Rushton started with convulsive alright, and could not for sev- eral minutes give articulation to the dis may and rage which choked her utterance. Presently, however, her emotions found expression, and storm of vituperative abuse was showered upon the head of the astonlshed Eugenie, designated as an art n yhr had lnsinuated herself into the establish ment for the sole purpose of entrapping MT. Arthur Rushton-with great deal more to the same effect. Mademcisella de Tourville, who had first beentoo much surprised by the unexpected suddenness of the attack to quite comprehend the in- tent and direction of the blows, soon re- covered her self-possession and hauteur. smile of contempt curled her beautiful lip, as, taking advantage of 8 momentary pause in Mrs. Rushton's breathless tirade, she said, Permit me, madam, to observe that If, as you seem to apprehend, your son has contemplated honoring me by the offer of an alliance with his ancient House" e"-- Her look at this moment glanced upon the dreadfully agitated young man; the expression of disdainful bitterness vanished in an instant from her voice and features; and after few moments, she added, with sad eyes bent upon the floor, ''That he could not have made more unhappy choice-more rn- fortunate for him, more impossible for me!' She then hastily left the apartment, and before 8 quarter of an hour had elapsed, had left the house in hackney coach. af--
 The scene which followed between the mother and son was aviolent and distress ing one. MT. Rushton, goaded to fury by his mothers attack upon Mademoiselle de Tourville, cast off the habit of defer ence and submission which he had always worn in her presence, and asserted with vehemence his right to wed with whom he pleased, and declared that no power on earth should prevent him marrying the lady just driven ignominiously from the house if she could be brought to accept the offer of his hand and fortune! Mrs. Rushtun fell into passionate mysteries; and her son, having first summoned her maid, withdrew to ruminate on Mademoi- selle de Tourville's concluding sentence, which troubled him far more than what he deemed the injustice of his mother
 When Mrs Rushton, by the aid of wa ter, pungent essences, and the relief which even an hour of time seldom fails to yield Tn such cases, had partially recovered her equanimity, she determined, after careful consideration of the best course of action, to consult 9 solicitor of eminence, well acquainted with her late husband, upon the matter. She had dim notion that the Alien Aot, if it could be put in mo- tlon, might rid her of Mademoiselle de Tourville and her friends. Thus resolv- ing, and ever scrupulous as to appear ances, she carefully smoothed her ruff1ed plumage, changed her disordered dress, and directed the carriage, which had been dismissed, to be again brought round to the door. Mary" she added few mo- ments afterwards, "bring me my jewell case the small one: you will find it in Made in that French persons dress ing-room. ",sss as va
 Mary Austin reappeared in answer to the violent ringing of her impatient lady's bell, and stated the jewel-case could no- where be found in Mademoiselle's dress ing-room. ''Her clothes, everything be- longing to her, had been taken out of the wardrobe, and carried away, and perhaps that also in mistake no doubt.
 Nonsense, womanT replied Mrs. Rush. ton. left 1t not long ago on her toilet glass. intended to show her purchase had made, and not finding her, left it as I tell you" ,. .,.
 Another search was made with the same il-success. Mary Austin afterwards said that when she returned to her mistress the second time,. to say that the jewel case was certainly gone, an expression of satisfaction instead of anger, it seemed to her, glanced across Mrs. Rushton's face, who immediately left the room, and in few minutes afterwards was driven off in the carriage 4 e l5sa.s
 About an hour after her departure I called in Harley Street for. Arthur Rush. ton, with whom had engaged to go this evening to the theatre. to witness Mrs. Slddons' Lady Macbeth, which neither of of calmed excitement, if may so express myself; and after listening with much in- terest ta the minute account he gave me of what had passed. |. young and inexpe- rlcnced as I was in such affairs, took up- on myself to suggest that, as the lady he had nothing doubted was as irreproacha- ble Tn character as she was confessedly charming and attractive in person and manners, and as he was. unquestionably his own master; Mrs. Rdshton's opposi- tion was not likely to be of long continu- ance; and that as to Mademoiselle de Tourville's somewhat diseouraging ex- pression, such sentences from the ladies' "Ihat would be wooed, and not unsought be = Yon"-sy ''''','z 1..-.
 were seldom, if ever. I understood, to be taken in literal and positive sense. Un- der this mild and soothing treatment. MT. Rushton gradually threw of portion of the load that oppressed him, and we set off in tolerably cheerful mood for the theatre s.-.g.e.e.s.f Tf..-a..f
 Mrs. Siddons' magnificent and appalling impersonation over, we left the house; he, melancholy and sombre as I had found him in Harley Street, and I in by no means gay or laughing mood We part ed at my door, and whether it was the eff feet of the tragedy, so wonderfully real ized in its chief creation, or whether con- ing events do sometimes cast their shad-- IS,fo IT A. IL