The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

ad that you may proclaim to the world whatsouver you wili in respect to my harsh temper: but I repeat that you must beware how yuu expuso me as a victive and a dupe, lest L on my side proclaim that on the night of the grand entertainwent at Tudor House, you, Lord Rushbrook——~” “ Sie Frederick, for morcy’s sake, Sir Frederick !” ~-and the Viscount was reduced to the most ab- ject condition of dn entreating wretch, ‘That on the night of the grand entertainment at Tudor House,” proceeded the*merciless Latham, “ you stole into my etudy——~” “Sir Frederick !” moaned the Viscount. “And you plundcred me of wany hundreds of pounds-———”’ . “My God!"—and Rushbrook sank back anni- hilated upon his seat. “What is this that [ hear?” almost shricked forth Anastatia, as she started up with wild looks, “Sir Frederick —Robert—speak—tell me¢-——” “It means, madam,” responded her husband— though he himself waé ‘somewhat bewildered? whether his wife were playing a part, or whether she could after all have been innovent of any com- plicity with her brother mm respect to the robbery, — “it means, madam, that on the night when I entrusted the key of my sale to you, that you might take thence a certain sum of monoy— whatsoever might answer your purpose at the time———” “And without hearing any more,” exclaimed Anastatia,— without uudersteanding what your allusiong meant—I declare here, in your presonce, Sir Frederick—in the presence too of my brother —assolomnly as I would deolare if standing in the presence of my Goud—that I took from your eafe a sum less than six hundred pounds, and that 1 left twice or thrice as much in the cash-box— though I had not the ourjosity to calculate how much.” “But the key, Anastatia—the key?” said the merchant; half suspiciously and half in the uncer. tainty of bewilderment: “ how was it that tho key found ite way to the band of another, and thaé other your brotber Lord Rushbrook ?” “Sir Frederick, for beaven’s sake, press not these queries,” murmured the Viscount, advancing towards his brother-in law, laying, his hand upon his arm, and looking up into his face with an ox- pression of the most anguished entreaty. © Good heavens, Ebert, what am 1 ‘to think ?” shrieked forth Anastatin: “what am I to under- etand by all this? It is some horrible mystery ! ~—Ahil the key you spoke to mo of—the key, Sir Frederick ?. Oh! 3 remember that on the night of the party I dropped it—I lost it for awhile—but I found it again—methought it was in tho same spot, where I might have dropped it. Oh, Sir Frederick | you remembor that I offered it to you immediately aftér I ascended drom your atudy to the ball-room?’ Would to heaven that you hed taken it then! Bust tell me, BRobert—what in heaven's name does it all mean P” “Ahi you msy well ask that question,” ex- “Giz Frederick Latham, now getting ex- * fox everything roust be cleared up! You hey, you say, Anastetief”~-then turning towatds the Viscount, the merchant lovked bia ; yaaa in the face, adding, “ Aud you found ‘: dy & b a’ } -\, | ie, “Mercy!” moaned tho wretched nobleman, hanging down his head: but the next instant recovering something like lis habitual insolent confidence, he said, “ { thought I might make use of your friendship—it was merely as a loan —I took 1t—I moant to have told you—but such a trific slipped ny memory———” Sir I'roderick Latham turned his back upon the Viscount: it wae with the coldést scorn that he did so: he disdained a reply to such a wretched tissue of sophistival excuses: he would have con- sidered himself degraded by offering a comment upon them. ° a “Anastatia, he said, but speaking distantly and severely, “it is evident 1 have done you wrong in this instance. Circumstances were how- ever against you. A felon brother makes bis own infamy to re’ound upon his eistor. Would that I were enabled to demand your pardon for the suspicion avbich in this respect bad naturally arisen in my mind, but which after all bas turncd out to be so unjust towards yourself. It is true that you bave not conspired tu plunder me: but you well know, Anastutia, that thero can be no doubt as to your guilt in another respect. Just now you admitted that you had been very culpable towards me. Therefore rmuet wo separate |” “Ie there no pardon—no forgiveness?” asked Anastatia in bitterest anguish of mind, at the same time joining her hands in the moat fervid appeal. “1 know that I deceived you——” “Enough, Anastatia!” interrupted the mer. chant, with an implacable expression of cuounto- nance, though inwardly be was moved: “ the very subject itself forbids discussion! Ido not eay to you, ‘Go with that felon brother of your's !’—but I bid you depart hence in the course of this day. He ie about to relieve my dwelling of the pesti- lential atmosphere which hangs around his crimi- nal presonce.” : “Sir Frederick, you must be obeyed,” faltered Anastatia, tho’ tears streaming down her checka, and her bosom convuleed with sobs: “and perhaps I deserve it all for having concealed that secret from you. But still methinks the chastisement is severe—it is a terrible one for an impru- dence——” “ An imprudence, Anastatia?” cried the mer- chant angrily. “Dare you thus lightly denumi- nate the protligacy~——~yuu see that you compol me to speak vub—~—” “Sir Frederick,” interrupted Lady Anastatia, suddenly dashing away her tears, and drawing herself up with an air of feminine dignity blended with indignation, —-“this is language which even from you I canact and will not tolerate! I repeat, my conduct was marked with imprudence perbaps~but only in one sense. It was becuuse on the day when—a year back —ycu desired we to desist from denling with Madame, Angelique, and when you hinted at the roason I did not, frankly confess to you at the time thet in utter ignoranee of the character of that establishment———” ‘ “Good heavens! what is this that I hear?” exclaimed Sir Frederick: and he literally staggored back as if smitten a blow. “Speak, ia |— tell. me! Tho person whom you met there—be whom before your marriage as well as subse- quently" aumas™ + a en ere THE MYSTERIFS OF THE COUNT. ean © ere of ewe Pee ee ee eee ee a eee eee we eee ee = = ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)