Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERY OF ST. MARK’S ABBEY. 331 which seemed to be at no great distance from me, I came up to the spot,—I beheld a huwan form,—the form of a female clad in white, stretched prostrate and insensible on the pavement; with tremulous haste I raised her in my arms; the rays of the light fell full upon her countenance, and judge of my astonish- ment when I recognised in her features those of my cousin, our dear Matilda, whom I had been ieformed was no more, But here, perhaps, it would be better for the baroness to relate her own story.” “‘Oh, no, dearest Emmeline,” ejaculated the still beauteous Lady de Morton, who was seated between Angelina and Sir Eustace, and listening with a me- lanchely interest to her narrative, “ pray, proceed: I should never he able te — collect myself sufficiently, at this moment, to do justice to it.” “‘ Well, then, Matilda,’”’ resumed Lady Emmeline, “ sinee it is your wish, I will. briefly relate the circumstances as I received them from your own lips.— Our emotions at so unexpectedly meeting, and under such singular circum stances, I shall take the liberty of passing over; they can easily be imagined by all present. “‘ The brother of Matilda’s husband, from the very moment he beheld her, had viewed her with an eye of desire, and had, doubtless, resolved within his owa mind to possess her’; but she had ever looked upon him with detestation, an d a feeling approaching to horror. Of the mysterious disappearance of Lord Kd - ward de Morton you have heard, and Malilda’s subsequent marriage to hig brother. But thiak vot it was by her consent ; oh, no! She was forced to the altar at midnight, and the ceremony was solemnized in secret. A short time afterwards Matilda wag delivered of a girl, which they told her had died, and it wag taken away from her sight. She became distracted, and accused the haron of murdering it, and also with the murder of her husband,—for a dread- ful suapicion had always haunted her imagination to that effect, and she had heard De Morton utter certain broken sentences ia his sleep, which served to strengthen it. The baron appeared conscience-strickea, and turning very pale, he rushed immediately from the chamber, Matilda saw no more of him, and the nurse who attended her was a woman ef the most repulsive character. In spite of all, however, a natural strong constitution enabled her to combat with these heavy trials, and she recavered from her accouchment; but her alarm and grief was increased, when she was informed that it was the baron’s orders an should be confined to her roam. ‘* Here she was treaied with every. cruelty and indignation, her only attend. . anis being the old nurse and Rufus,-—the latter created an indescribable sensa~ tion of horror whenever she beheld him. ‘¢ She had been confined in this manner about a mouth,. when one hight Rufus came to the room, and from the peculiar and awful expression of his coun- tenance, she guessed that he was come upen some dreadfal errand as soon as. he entered. He brought with him a bottle and a glass, which he laid upen the table, and Matilda, quite overpowered by her terrible apprehensions, directly he came in fell upon her knees before him, and with. clasped hands, and in Piteous accents, she implored his mercy. The ruffian oaly answored her with a- scornfal laugh, and then stoed gazing at hear emotions for a second or two, as though he exulted in the bleod-thirsty deed he was employed te perpetuate. ““* bis night settles your business,’ said the blood-thirsty misoreant, coolly taking a poigoard from hisbegom, and thea proceeding to pour a dark. brown GOMMGIOO 1(GO)