Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

180 ROSE MORTIMER ; OR, “‘ Fate’s against us,” And the two guilty cousins began for the first time to despair. As for the earl, he was the picture of gloom and horror. His countenance told how fearfully the alarming tidings had acted upon him. He was powerless to act—lost, destroyed, undone. Nothing but the woman’s guiding hand could now lead him to safety. Could even her’s accomplish this ? It was doubtful. ““Come, come, Spencer,” said Lady Bellisle, after a minute’s pause. ‘* This will never do. We are in a great dilemma, and we want action, not despair. Rouse yourself, man.’ *“Rouse myself?’ iterated the Earl of Sloeford vacantly, ‘* rouse myself?” ce Ay.” “To what? “* Safety.” “The gallows,” said he, with a bitter mocking laugh. “ Hush ! we have yet ten days.” ‘How 7” “* Did I not tell you that for ten days we are safe ?”’ a4 No.’’ “Nay, I did. The writing which Rose Mortimer had prepared will not be opened for that time.” “ What then ?” _ “ What then?” ejaculated Lady Bellisle. ‘* Where 18 your wit, man ?”’ The earl pressed his hand across his brow as if to seek for it. “‘T see, I see,” he murmured. “ For ten days, then, we are safe,” ‘* Of course.” ‘* And then ?” “Then the blow comes.” ‘And we are lost.” ‘‘ Before ten days are over we must be in another land—exiles”’ “‘ This is too fearful.” “* Not so—exile is better than death, and death it would be.” ‘Great powers!’’ exclaimed the unhappy man. “And is it for this after all that we have toiled, sinned, and plotted? Is it for this that we have done such deeds as would make hell itself gape with horror and cry ‘ Hold!’” “ Spencer.” “Silence, woman,” said the earl. I owe you all.” “ True,” said Lady Bellisle. grate, remember it.” ‘*T do, in bitter humiliation.” “‘ Remember that this hand raised you out of the dust unto—”’ ‘The gallows !”’ ‘“‘Remember, that if you are a belted earl it is this hand which has heaped these honours upon. you. Name, title, fortune—all, all you owe to me.” “And what are all these to me with the gal- lows staring me in the face?’? demanded the earl coarsely. ‘Lady Bellisle could bear this tone no longer. She melted into tears. She could be cold, stern, cruel, even bloody to others, but to him she could but be love while life -Temained to her. “Oh! Spencer, Spencer,” she exclaimed, “ what are you saying to me?” ‘* The truth.” “Ay, but—”’ “But what ? Would you have me thank you far placing the noose around my neck 2”? For what ?” “Tt is to you ‘Tt is to me. In- ———_—_— “No, no; but it is not for you to offer me these reproaches.’’ ** Who then ?” “Do I not share all with you—even the scaffold, should it come to that?” “Pretty. consolation that; truly,’? exclaimed the earl, brutally. *‘Oh! man, man, have you no heart ?”’ And she burst into a passionate flood of tears. But she bad the mastery over her feelings suffi- ciently yet to stay them. **Come,” she said, controlling her emotion, with a powerful effort, “ there’s no time for idle tears.” ‘‘No, indeed.” ‘‘Spare me your sareasm, Spencer,’”’ she said, glancing up into his coward face, “for at the worst you fare better than I.” “* How so, forsooth ?”’ ‘You can but return to the dust from which this hand raised you, whilst I—I have a fearful fall.” ** And you ask me to spare you my sarcasm,” ex- claimed the earl. “Tut, tut. This is idle folly. Let us begone.” 7 4 Ay.” ** Ay,”’ said a second voice behind them. Both the Earl of Sloeford and Lady Bellisle turned round at this. Behind them stood the man with the blue legal- looking bag. The bag now was fastened to a coat button by the cord, His left hand held a glittering pair of steel hand- cufts,”’ His right hand held a small pocket pistol with a brightly burnished barrel, He nodded coolly. ‘ Excuse me interrupting this little téte-d-téte,”’ he said. ‘What do you want?’ demanded Lady Bellisle, sternly. “Him ?” ““Who?”’ “The gentleman—Smithson, please —thank you.’’ ** What are you about?” “About to take this Mr. Smithson into custody, ma’am, for a little job. Only poisoning. Smithson, LI arrest you on a charge of murder. You are my prisoner !” CHAPTER LXXI. THE ASTROLOGER’S LABORATORY—THE CORPSE — MIDNIGHT DEEDS — THE PHILTRE — THE DEAD ALIVE— MINE FROM THE GRAVE!”’—THE MAIDEN’S APPEAL—THE ARAB’S PLOT—DEEDS OF HORROR—THE OATH—THE COMPACT—MAN OR DEVIL? RETURN we now for a while to take a brief glance at. Mermet. We left him in his study—alone in the room. That is, so far alone as one can be in the company of aclay cold corpse. After the two resurrectionists had left he stood for a long while surveying the white pallid face of the unhappy Lotty Chepstow, for it was the earthly part of this fair girl that they had robbed from the cold grave. This, after it had been interred only a few short 10urs. After gazing for some time in silence at the body a Singular expression of gratification escaped hin. ** Marvellous !’’ he said. ‘‘ Truly marvellous! Per- fection itself!’ Then he placed his ear upon the breast of the conn COOKS) (C@