Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

° THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 189 the shop window, carrying glass and everything with ** What mean you?” thing startling. ** Foolish girl! But that I would not have you There was a crash, a cry, anda rush. longer in doubt I would not deign to speak another But all in vain. convincing word, Asitis, I merely bid you put me to The mischief was done, and Mr. Harry~ Fane was | the test. Give me some cunnine test. as if I were a certainly some pounds the poorer by the transaction. | base impostor—as if I were other than the Mermet who has saved you from an early grave—who has drawn you from the very womb of the earth, where : your friends and family had lain you.” CHAPTER LXXIV. ‘ Would that you had never disturbed me !”’ MERMET—DOUBTS—DISTRUSTS — LOTTY ACCUSES ‘ Ungrateful girl !”” THE ARAB—PROOFS—THE SKELETON’S FEAST— * Nay, not ungrateful.” FURTHER PLOTS—THE LABORATORY — OVER- ‘€ What, then, do you call her who reproaches one REACHED—FEARFUL DENOUEMENT. for having saved her life?” : ‘I fear that-I am reserved for a worse fate yet-— Lotty CHEPSTOW was Mermet’s—his own body | thatI am doomed to a living death.” and soul, for she had no possibility of delivering her- | . “‘ Lotty Chepstow, I lose all patience with you. self from the clutches of the cunning little Arab. You accuse me of deception.” She deemed herself the murderess of Arthur Brown- ‘* And with reason.”’ bill, the ill-fated libertine who could not prize the Mermet broke out into a torrent of angry and jewel he had won, but would fain have destroyed it. | passionate invectives at this, which quite frightened She deemed herself in the clutches of the necro- | Lotty Chepstow. mancer and irredeemably lost. He stopped short. All the proceedings in his house she watched in His passion was at an end of a sudden. secret awe and wonder. It was as a sudden calm following upon a violent There was a mystery—a quiet fear-inspiring mau- | gale at sea. ner in all his movements, which set poor Lotty upon ** One word more, Lotty,” he said. ‘‘ You would the rack. -have proof of my truth and sincerity ?”’ However, one day the necromancer was caught nap- “ Nay, I—” ping, and then Lotty Chepstow grew suspicious. ‘* No hesitation. You shall haveit. I will furnish One of the easily gulled public—a gentleman of high | you with proof so conclusive that no trace of doubt station in society, who could not restrain his curiosity, |-shall live in your mind.” but who would not for worlds have had it known that‘ Nay, cr, “t—% Ef he had visited the necromancer, came to see Mermet “Tut, tut! Tell me what nature of proof you in the strictest incognito. would have, and I—” Now Mermet was shrewd-sighted enough to see ‘* Enough. Since you insist, I wish to ask youa which way the wind blew, or, in other words, heat | question rather to comfort my own mind than to put once perceived the gentleman’s weakness, and he set | youtoatest. Did Arthur Brownbill really die?” to work to attack him in this way. PES? He egged him on with one or two chance shots to ‘* By my hand ?’’ come again upon the morrow to hear and see some ** You shall have proof of it.’’ astonishing wonder. ‘¢ What proof?” The gentleman agreed and left the house, and a ‘*¢ The best—ocular proof.”’ messenger was immediately despatched to dodge his Lotty Chepstow started back as if stung by a rep- steps until he should be safely housed. tile. Now Lotty chanced to be present then, and also ‘* Ocular proof?” she iterated. ‘‘ Surely you do not upon the following day, when the gentleman paid his | mean to say that you have anything to offer me as second visit. , ocular proof?’ — The revelation of his name, supposed to be conjured ** You shall judge for yourself.’’ up from the hidden knowledge of astrology and other *¢ No, no, no!” occult sciences which the necromancer possessed, ** Nay, but you shall.’’ caused much wonder and awe upon the part of And_ then, as she resisted, he caught her by the the stranger, but were quite without effect upon Lotty | wrist and dragged her off in spite of her struggles. Chepstow. The girl was forced thus to follow him up the stairs, She saw through the humbug of it, and boldly | where he dragged her into a room darkened by long accused Mermet of tricking the stranger. : tapestry hangings before the windows. The annoyance and vexation of the Arab at this Upon the right of the entrance was a small sliding are indescribable. window, which Mermet silently pointed to. He denied the accusation with startling vehemence. e-There !? But she would not be silenced. ‘¢ What??? demanded the girl, still trembling in ‘‘ Tt is useless now,” she said with firmness. ‘‘ You | anticipation. ' cannot further deceive me.” ‘¢ Look through there, and you will see.” *¢ Deceive you ?”’ ‘¢ Tell me what.” © Ay, for I know. Let me remain in doubt, and I ‘¢ You asked me if Arthur Brownbill really fell by ill not question a word, but I have proofs too con- | your hand.” yiieing nt eresent ” The girl shuddered, and buried her face in her 5D c ‘¢ Silly girl!” hands. * ‘‘ Not only that do I see,’’ continued Lotty, “ but ‘¢ Look! : : I find something else of a more serious and personal She rose and moved mechanically towards the win- nature.’’ dow and peered through. » ie ; se Name ite ‘There, you now Bed SH Arthur Brownbill is— aS e been most egregiously deceived | what he has thus speedily become.” in aienes fay wea girlish mind to be led away by Lotty looked on in unaffected horror, for what sho ifices ‘rible and fear-inspiring. your shallow tales and artifices.”’ saw was the most terrible and fe piring COMmMicdOoks: Conn