The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

a |e AG SN A a ee II I A aT a ia a ey ¥ nee Eee THE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. since that interview with the physician the result of which Olarine had hoped would have -a very different effect upon her friend. And now, as she glanced furtively at Zoe's countenance, while they were bending their way back to the Ohateau, she could not help thinking there was something unnatural in the serenely sad and placidly mourn- fal air of pensive resignation whieh sat upon the features of Lady*Octaviin Meredith. CHAPTER “OXXIX. THE FORRET. THe last beams of the setting sun, on that same September evening of which we have just been writing, were flickering in ruddy hues upon the western outskirts of one of those great foreste which are still to be found in the southern parte of France. The progress of civilisation creates so many new wants for mankind, that it Yenders it needful to redeem as much territory as possible from ite wild and savage primitive condition; and thus is it that the great forests of all well-populated countrics are gradually yielding to the axe; and the space which has béen occupied by giant trees, whoee growth indicated the lapse of centuries, has been progressively brought into cultivation that the golden harvest might wave in its luxurisnce. But still, as we have just now said, there are many of these grand old forests still remaining— and some io the south of France. We do not mean woods of limited extent, nor of puny growth -——nor spaces with mere patches and isolated groups of stunted trees upon them—such as in England we find dubbed by the name of “ forests,” and rether indicating what might have once been there than what flow exists. But we are speaking of forests in the true meaning of the term,—miles and miles of uninterrupted mases of stately trees, forming in the warmer seasons ‘of the year one vast canopy of verdure through which the sun- beams cannot penetrate. It was upon such a forest as this that the last rays from the west were flickering in ruddy hues as a postchaise-and-four entered upon the road in- tersecting the vast maze of verdure. The horses had been changed at a village which stood at the entrance of the forest: the two postiliuns cracked their whips to inspire the fresh animals, which appeared to be of somewhat sluggish disposition: a valet in plain clothes was seated on the bor; and a young man, of exceedingly handsome ap- pearance, was the sole occupant of the interior of the chaise. Not to observe any mystery, we may as well at once inform our reader that this was Lord Octavian Meredith, who was ’ on hie way to the Chateau where he knew that his wife resided,—-that wife whom he was prepared to rejoin! ‘With arms folded across his chéet, and in a profoundly meditative mood, was Lord Octavian lying back in the vehicle. The forest was plunged in obscurity, though not eo complete as to render the road difficult to be followed, or to entail the necessity of having the lamps lighted. Besides, as there are always the same for the same stages, these men were perfectly conversant 829 with the route, and could pursue it blindfold. Yet the forest was obscure, as we have said; and inside the vebicle it was quite derk. If hows ever, it had been possible to study Octavian’s countenance under such circumstances, it would ve been perceived that though exceedingly pale and bearing the traces of a me mental confit of very recent date, it wore an expression of firmest resolve. Yes—he had Getermined to re- join Zoe: he believed that Ohristina loved him not—that she had trifled coquetishly with his feel- inge—that her heart was not eo thoroughly good and ingenuous es he had y deemed it to be; and thus every hope being destroyed in that quarter, it was with a species of ion that be had plunged headlong as it were into the per- formance of the duty which he owed to his wife. Deeper into the forest did the equipy @ proceed : the stage was an unusually long one—tor the un- broken mase of trees stretched ongrard for a dis tance of thirteen or fourteen miles; and in the sinterval there ocourred no post-house for relays. The chaise had accomplished about half that dis- tance — the obscurity had now deepened into almost total darknese—when on a sudden the equipage came to a stop, but with a jerking abruptness that threw Meredith forward from his seat. The next moment be heard the plunging of horses —oejaculations of terror mingled with others of threats—the trampling of feet—the sounds of blows—and then the report of fire-arme. All these alarming noises were so rapid in suc- cession—or indeed might almost ba described as so blended—that Octavian found the conflict over by the time he leaped forth from the vehicle. For a oonflict it really was, though he scarcely com- prehended ite circumstances, and knew nothing at all of ite results until a little while afterwards. And this was the reason,—that no soouer had he sprung forth, than a de§perate blow was dealt him either by a bludgeon or the butt-end of a pistol ; and he was atricken down senseless, «¢ , As Lord Octavian slowly came back to con- sciousness, he gradually grew aware that he was lying by the side of the road: and the beams of a lantern moving about, showed him the dark shape of the vehicle. He heard footsteps: they were those of a fingle person; and by this person the lantern was being carried. Meredith’s ideas were at firat in a bewildering confusion ; but conspicuous amongst tliem was the sense of extreme danger ; and he thérefore lay perfectly still until he might glean something more uf the circumstances which surrounded him. A pain in his head reminded the young nobleman of how he had been stricken down: and fortunate for him was it that he had on his hat at the time -—0F else the blow which merely stunned would have proved fatal. All was silent, with the excep- tion of those footsteps that accompanied the move- ments of the lantern. There was not so much as the impatient stamping of a horee, nor the rattling of the harness. But no, wonder: for by the light of the lantern Maredith ina few minutes perceived that the horses had been detached from the chaise, and were no longer there. At the came time he observed that the lantern was borne by a fomale ; and that as she carried it in one hand, she sup- ported herself with a stick held in the other. He could not as yet see her faces" but he beheld ow wSas en EEE aE ANIELOO (C©) SS (CO)