The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 210: what you’re looking at

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SSDS gee NN eee SEE TS) Ee a Ea IEE THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Lady Anastatia Latham then proceedod direct to her husband’s study, with the determination, if needed, of making a certain confeasion: but it was with asense of dismay that she adopted the re- solve. She entered the study—where she found her husband seated at the desk, and reading a letter with his wonted demeanour of imperturbable calmness, “ My dear Anastatia,” he said, rising from his seat and advancing towards her, “it has perhaps been a little oversight on my part that I have not occasionally given you the key of this safe in order that you may replenish your purse without the ne- ceasity of applying direct tome. Here isthe key: you can restore it to me presently. And now, my dear Anastatia, delay not in returning amongst your guests.” Having thus spoken, with an unusual appear- ance of kindness, Sir Frederick at once issued from the roum. The whole proceeding was 60 com- pletely different from what Anastatia had expected, that she was rendered absolutely speechless, and | could not even murmur a Syllable of acknowledg- ment fur her husband’s generosity. When the door closed behind him, and she found herself alone, tears began trickling down her cheeks. She com- prehonded it all. ; “Yes,” she said within herself, “he suspects that I am in debt—that I have been extravagant —that I have concealed my embarrasaments from him ; and he adopte this nobly generous course for a twofold reason. He affords me the opportunity of acquitting myself of my supposed hiabilities ; and at the same time he conveys a reproof for the mingled extravagance and dissimulation of which he deems me guilty. Oh, it is painful to be thus wrongly judged !—but on the other hand, infinite is the relief which I experience at not being com- pelled to confess everything! I understand bim well.. He will speak no more upon the subject: he will not ask me who are my supposed creditors: he dosbtless thinks within himself that, touched by his generosity and goodness, I shall abstain from extravagance for the future. And I who have not been extravagant at all!—I who have even been en- abled to assist my brother from the liberal sums which my husband has placed at my disposal !” To this offect were tho thoughts which swept rapidly through the mind of Lady Anastatia Latham; and drying her tears, she hastened to open the safe. But she paused ere she touk forth the cash-box: she made a strong effort to conjure up her moral courage; and she said to herself, “What if I were now to defy theso extortioners P” But the moral courage came not in sufficient force to nerve her to that extent. She dreaded an explosion of Shadbolt’s brutal rage; he might create a scene which would be fraught with a terrific exposure at a moment when the mansion was crowded with guests. She felt her own weakness; " and with a profound sigh she drew forth the cash- box. There was a quantity of gold 0% une side —as layer of bank-notes on the other. She took forth sufficient fur the liquidation of Madame An. gelique’s extortionate demand; and restoring the cash-box to its place, she locked the massive door of the safe,—thrusting the key into the bosom of her dress. Lady Anastatia then returned to Mr. Shadbolt: and with dignified demeanour, she said, “ Remem- | ial iy? ber, I totally deny the claim which is made upon me: but I do not wish to have any dispute for such asum. Here therefore is the amount. Of course you are provided with a receipt ?” “Here it ds, my lady,” answered Shadbolt, infi- nitely rejoiced at the success of his villanous aoheme: and at the same time he: drew forth the receipt from his pocket. f Anastatia examined it; and ‘perceiving that it was an acquittance in full of all demands, signed with the ex-mullingr’s own name, she was satisfied. Shadbolt took his departure with the money in his pocket; and Anastatia returned to the ball-room. It happened that at the moment of her entrance Sir Frederick was passing near thatedour; she flung upon him a look full of gratitude,—at the same timo laying hor hand gently upon his arm, and saying, “ You have this night done something which I can never, never forget! Here is the key of the safe:”’—and she raised her hand to her bosom to take it thence. ‘Not auother syllable upon the subject, Anas- tatia!”” responded the merchant: ‘‘and as for the key, keep it uatil to-morrow. Wo shall be ob- served |” , He at once walked away to another part of the room; while Anastatia—who was deeply affected, though she outwardly betrayed it not—repaired to a seat at a hittle distance. Neither the merchant nor herself had noticed, that her brother, Viscount Rushbrook, had been close by at the instant this exchange of a few words took place; and we may add that his quick ear had caught those few syllables which related to the key of the safv. CHAPTER CXAITI. e THE SAFER AND TIE CASI-BOX. AA STATIA repaired, as we have said, to a seat at the farther extremity of the room; and her brothor tho Viscount, after reflecting for a few moments, Jounged round the apartment in order to join her there. He was revolving in his mind how to break to his sistet the particular subjoct of his difficulties, when Christiarf and Christina approached. Anas- tatia’s countenance immediately brightened up; and sho spbke to the twins with as much cordiality as if they were long-standing friends instead of the mere acquaintances of this particular evening. The Viscount joined in the discourse as a pretext for keeping near his sister: but he wished in his heart that Christian and Obristina would move away to another part of the room. It happened that while Anastatia was thus talking, she mechanically arranged the body of her dress—or rather the lace which trimmed it; and the httle key fell from her bosom. I¢ alighted on the flowing skirt of her apparcl, and thus did not fall at once upon the floor, whence the carpet had been taken up for the sake of the dancers. The Viscount, who was lounging against a table behind his sister's chair, noticed that the key thus fell: the incident was however unperceived by Lady Anastatia as well as by the twins. For « few minutes Lord Rushbrook suffered the key to remain where it was, in order to ascertain whether his sister would immediately -_ ——_er _— =——_ a = ee ae el ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)