Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE TERRIBLE. Jancholy and sadness, listen to my painful story, and of one incident of Ivan the Terrible’s band.” After a pause, Lady Laura began with a trembling voice :— “My aunt,” said Laura, “ went to Paris, to attend a lawsuit she had there, and for health’s sake my noble father permitted me to accompany her. She went out each day, thinking it would enable her to influence her judges, In the evening we took pleasant walks, and there I often met a distinguished- looking gentleman of decidedly English appearance, though named,/Count Vincento. “He was my constant shadow ! ‘His presence became to me intolerable, and from tha time my indifference was changed to aversion,” - “Was he a person likely to cause such a sentiment ?” said essle. a “‘ Why should you ask ?” inquired Lady Laura. ‘“ You were too young to have remarked anything ; but do you fécollect my cousin Richard, the son of.my father’s brother?” Jessie contracted her eyebrows, and replied in a short manner, “Yes; he was a young naval officer. When ke returned from sea, he usually spent most of his leisure time at Percy House, in London. He was a lieutenant, in the frigate ‘Macedonian ;’ have you heard from him lately ?” “When we left Paris, his mother was very uneasy respect- ing his silence, He isdead!’’said Lady Laura with desperate calmness. “ Dead !”’ exclaimed Jessie, with astonishment. ““Count Vincento killed him !” ‘Ts your aunt ignorant of this?” “Listen, The time is come for me to disclose all to you. You know I had been brought up with Richard. Whena child I loved him as a brother; but as years rolled on I looked upon him as my future husband, or, rather, I might say these two sentiments were blended together into one ; but although you were my constant companion, you were, then, young, and our love, no doubt, escaped you.” “To speak the truth, Lady Laura, I recollect something, which ought to have enlightened me on the subject. But can it be possible that Richard is dead? When and where did it happen?” “ Listen, I had been promised marriage by him, now comprehend my aversion to the count ?” “ Yes, “Vincento redoubled his pursuit of me. Informed of our residence in Paris, he tried, with great perseverance, toform a connection with those who might be of assistance to my aunt in her law affairs. He did so, and gained so much influence with them, that he was soon in a position to be of the greatest service to my aunt. ‘‘ Winding his way thus clear, he one day declared his inten- tion to my aunt of lodging at the same hotel. The reception [ gave him was very chilling; but his manner was so fascinating that, by flattery, he showed my aunt how greatly he could assist her in the progress of her suit, and she invited him to visit us as often as he thought proper. On leaving the room he cast avery significant look atme, He did this in order that he might be able to approach me more intimately on the next occasion. + ‘‘T expressed suspicions as to his sincerity ; but my aunt - replied that I was crazy, and alsothat we should avail our- selves of the Count’s kind offers since he would be so advan- tageous to us. ‘‘ My aunt had been very handsome in her youth, She was then only forty years of age. ‘The Count perceived one day that she received with great pleasure some little gallantries which he addressed to her in jest. He increased his attentions so much that in a short time she could not do without him. ‘’ He would accompany us everywhere : to the theatre, or walking or riding. “ T remarked to my aunt that he being young and rich this intimacy might compromise me, ‘“ Her reply was, that I was quite wrong to alarm myself. She was a widow and free ; the Count had told her he loved her, adding that he took deep interest in the law suit because it gave him an opportunity of enjoying her society, a Can you | | | 13 “T wished to make some observations ; she would not listen tome, but broke out into a tirade about the vanity of girls, and reproached me with ever having believed fur a moment that the Count bestowed a thought upon me, ‘He often sent minstrels under our window, saw us every day, and constantly gave us similar bouquets, in order, as he told my aunt, that my self-love might not be wounded. “ One day, finding me.alone, he made a declaration of love. Considering as a merit in my eyes the ability with which he had deceived my aunt, he thought I should admire and feel kindly disposed towards him for this enormous sacrifice,” “ And was your aunt informed of this avowal of Count Vincento ?” “ Yes; that very evening I told her all !” ‘Then you unmasked him !” said Jessie, with a bright eye. “Jessie! you cannot tell the vanity and weakness of women !” -“ What! would she not believe you ?” ‘Yes, she did ; and that.same evening our door was closed against the Count, ‘‘ He guessed what had happened, and wrote a long letter to my aunt, “The next day she received him more kindly than before ! When he had left the house, my aunt came and scolded me very severely ; she declared I was jealous of the Count’s love for her, and that I had calumniated him in order to have him excluded from the house,” ‘‘ She must have been mad !” said the maid, with a curling ip. ‘“‘ Matters resumed their usual course. The Count never spoke of love to me, still he spent whole days with us, ‘On the 14th of May !—ah! I shall never forget that date !—my aunt told me that the noise of the court-yard gate of the hotel disturbed her so much that she would exchange apartments with me. The room, which until then I had occu- pied, looked into the street, and hada balcony ! “ WhatI havetoadd is fearful! On that day we had been out for a long drive in the carriage, accompanied by the Count. “ When we returned, we sat together until very late in the evening, my aunt appearing very much pre-occupied. At length we retired, and went to bed |” Here Laura turned deadly pale, shuddered, and then con- tinued in a broken voice :— “The next day I expressed a wish to see my aunt as usual, when her maid, with an embarrassed air, told me that she was indisposed, and could not see either me or any one. “Upon returning to my own apartment a stranger inquired for me; a dark, pale man gave me_a letter without uttering a syllable. I cannot tell what I thought or felt, but a tremour ran through my veins. Upon opening the letter I found a ring which I had given to Richard.”’ j “ And the letter—the letter?” ‘Was from Richard ; he was dying !” “From your cousin Richard ?” “Yes, The words it contained seemed to me to be written in characters of blood! They were these, **¢T have been in Paris two days.- I know all! I saw, this very night, Count Vincento descending from your balcony, after which you closed the window. I fought with him instantly. I sought death and he has given it to me. Be thou accursed! You shall Know more when you return to London. Conceal from my mother the story of my death. My sight is failing. Iam dying fast! Ca Ee “ And nothing more?” asked Jessie, in alarm. _“ Not a word,” Laura replied, with an agonised expression, “ What a mystery!” said Jessie. ‘‘ Who, then, could have appeared at your chamber window?” “Did I not tell you that my apartments were occupied by my aunt that very evening? No doubt the Count had ob- tained a rendezvous from her in order to serve his wicked designs. You understand me now? She is exactly my height, dark as I am, and thus was my dear lost cousin fatally deceived !”’ * Oh, how horrible !” ‘Upon reading this letter I was almost mad; I felt asif ina dream, A friend of his told me the rest, which was this: On CoORmmicloookxs.con