The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 301: what you’re looking at

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

* « ca Ca i a eS Seth sponded Shadbolt: “ but there was a Coroner's in- queet on her body to-day—and it appears that it took place quiet enough. I was told nowever that the Hindoo woman died from the scratch of « eobra’s fang in a leather case in which she had pee the reptile with her over from India. The v was ‘Accidental Death,’ or something of that sort; and that’s all I know of the business.” Mr. Shadbolt now took his deperture; and the moment he was gohe the pretty maid-servant en- tered to complain to her mistresy of the man’s rude behaviour every time he visited the house. Ma- Game Angelique wae deeply indignant ; for che had sought, as the reader bas seen, to appear as “a saint” in her neighbourhood. She did not there- fore like to have the discredit of receiving such an immoral person as the ssid Isaac Shadbolt at her house. She promised hey perlour-maid to put a stop (0 his impropriatioe 5 and the girl was con- ten » Madame Angelique was more than half inclined to believe that Mr. Shadbolt had swindied her out. of the two hundred guineas which he hed ‘lleged to be for the purpose of feeing Mr. Coleman; and the intelligence she had just received from her well-looking domestic aggravated her ill-feeling againet Shadbolt. She inwardly anathematized the necessity of coun the visits of such an individual; and her thoughts being agitated, abe went forth to cool her brain with the fresh air of the garden. Madame Angelique was by no means astonished that the arrest of QClandon should have pro-' daced such a powerful effect upon the Duke of Marchmont: for it will be remembered that bis Grace had made certain unconscious revelations when he was at the ex-milliver’s villa, after having ex serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Burker. The Frenchwoman was giad that Sagoonah had patecd outeof this world; for she had ever trembled lest an investigation into the source of the murderous attack, which hed been by mistake made upon the ayah, should lead to the exposure of antecedent cironmetances, did thereby perilously drag in the Game of Madame Angelique herself. But still, though that one cause of apprehension appeared to have been re- moved, the Frenchwoman was far frem being tran- quil in her mind. She believed that the tangled web which the Duke of Marchmont had wovsn, might now probably be closing in around himeelf; and she had been so mixed up with many of his echemes and projectse—though at the time uncon- scious of how far she was being used as a mere in- strument, and to what special aims his machinations were directed—she trembied lest there should be a general crash, which might involve herself in the ruins, And then too there was this Isaac Shad- bolt, who wielded a sort of power over her, and who she saw but too plainly was resolved to use her puree as his own—who came to the house at all houre—insalted her servante—disgraced her with his intemperance—and feasted at her ex- was this nian, we say, whom she fd not shake off, and whose presence : Thus, altogether, the ex-milliner found, ge:tre have before stated, that on abandoning her and retiring to ber beautiful suburben she had not slighted on a bed of roses. had she wandered forth into her grounds. strolled through the house, and passed into a little paddock which lay beyond. I¢ was a beautifully clear evening; and there was a bracing vigour in the air. Still i¢ scarcely refreshed the heated cheeks and throbbing brows of the Frenchwoman: for presentiments of evil were in ber mind. As she was walking through the paddock, het ear gaught the sounds of some equipage in the adjoining lane: but the trees prevented her from immediately distinguish. ing what it was; and she moreover bestowed but little thought upon the circamstance. Indeed, so much absorbed was ¢he in her own reflections, she failed to notice that the equipage had stopped at a little distance. Presently a break in the trees revealed the equi- page to her view ; and she saw that it was a post. chaise. At the same instant she heard footsteps advancing towards her from behind; and turning round, she beheld two coarsely-dressed men ap- proaching. They were attired as labourers; each carrying a stick in bis hand. Madame Angelique was frightened: for she recollected that her men- servants were out on some business connected with the etable; and the situation of the villa was suf. ficiently lonely to justify her apprehension. A scream was about to peal from her lips, when one of the men said to her in*a resolute voice, “We want you—and you must come along with us. All disturbance will be useless |” Whereupon the speaker seized her by the arm, while his companion caught her by the waist-- both elike forbidding her at ber peril from crying out. The ex-milliner however screamed; and then a hand was instantancously placed over her mouth «while one of the men exclaimed in her ear, “ It is in the Duke of Marchmont’s affair that you are wanted |” This announcement at once paralysed Madame Angelique; and an awful consternation seized upon her. Buf at that instant some one“was seen bounding towards the spot; and Sir Frederick Latham made hic appearance on the scene. Without pausing to inquire into the nature of the outrage—nor weighing the probabilities of some transgression on the Frenchwoman’s part on the one hand, againet a proceeding which at a glance was so euspicious on the other—the City merchant grappled with the two men; and a struggle ensued. Wresting the club frbm the ham of one of the igtending abductors, Sir Frederiof struck him to the ground; and the other at once took to his heels. Madame Angelique clung to her deliverer: but terror still stifled the power of utterance. “Villain! what means this?’ exclaimed Gir Frederick, thus sternly addressing the man whom he had stricken down, and who, half-stunned by the blow, was painfally endeavouring to rise. But searcely was the question put, when an- other person appeared upon the scene. This was Christian Ashton, who had sprang forth from the postohaise on beholding Sir Frederick Latham leap she | from his horse and rush to the assistance of the ex-milliner. The recognition of Christian on the merchant's part was instantaneous; and our young hero bastened to say to him, “Suspend your judgment, responsible for thie Gir Frederick! I hold my € 4 er as oeiawy alee She garden, at the back of the | | ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)