The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

que Gayla e THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. a eee hero then took his leave of Miss| ‘London last t It appears from whist he _ Our young Sutton,—having usly assured himeelf, how. ever, that she had no need of assistance ¢ and retracing his steps to the railway station, he returned by the next train to London. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon when be reached the metropolia; and he forthwith repaired to Mr. Coleman's offices in Bedford Row. The lawyer was kt his place of business; and he immediately received COhbristian Ashton, Our young hero reported to him all that had occurred between himself and Amy Sutton; and Coleman listened with visible satisfection on his counte- nance. “ Everything s favourably,” said the lawyer, “for the grand, the solemn, and the awfal which her Majesty Queen Indora is contemplating. Travers isin our power: Madame Angelique is in our power: the villain Barnes is in our power. Amy Sutton will be forthooruing at any moment when we require hef presence; and we shall now have Wileon Stanhope in oy power. But there’s something more atill to be done——” “Let me undertake it!” exclaimed Christian en- thusiastically. ‘You know, my dear sir, there is nothing you can ask rye to perform that I will not at once enter upon !” , “T know it,” responded Coleman; “and with go much seal in this good cause, it is impossible that we shall fail in eventual success. Mesh by mesh the tangled skein which his own crimes have woven, is closing in around the Duke of March- mont; and he will live, Christian—he will live to encounter the ordeal! Socarcely an hour has elapsed since I obtained tidings concerning him. The dangerous crisis is past; and though he is still raving in the delirium of fever, yet the violence of that fever is subsiding, and his physicians have but small fear as to the result. Ah! little do they suspect? for what they are bringing him back to life!~and fearful will be the awakening of that man from the unconsciousness which affords a temporary respite for him! But I was about to inform you———”"’ ‘This new task which I have to undertake f” exclaimed Ohristian eagerly. “You know,” resumed Mr. Coleman, “upon what grounds we were led to suspect that the villain Barnes had served as the instrument of the Duke of Marchmont’s design against the life of Queen Indora—that design to which Sagoonah fell a victim I” “Yes,” replied Christian. “ From the inquiries made by the police, in consequence of the infor- mation given by old Mr. Carnabie, it was ascer- tained that the Burker in his disguise had been lurking about the Queen’s villa at the time the awful deed was committed ——” ‘And as we knew,” proceeded Mr. Coleman, “that the deed itself arose from the instigation of the Duke of Marchmont, there was no doubt in coming to the conclusion that the Durker was his instrument. And such has proved to be the case: for the Burker yesterday confessed everything !”” “Ah! be confessed?” exclaimed Christian. “Then cifcamstances are indeed favouring “ fa in all respects,” replied 1 eT are Serine a itcited eteeyttiog from | denear to that villain’s lips yesterday; and J atated, that a lady overheard « certain’ discourses between himself and the Duke of Marchmont, soon efter the assassin-attompt was made upon h’a lifes and by the description, this lady is nove other than Mrs. Ozenden.” “ Mra. Oxenden f" ejaculated Christian, “ Ah! this accounts, then, for the intimasy which she formed with the Duke, and which the other day came to your knowledge.” ° - “'You perceive how we have heen favoured,” said the lawyer, “by what the thoughtless crowd would term ehazce, but which the thinking man would call » Wee—Mre, Oxenden has been the Duke’s mistress; and ber testimony may be serviceable. I have caused the strictest in- quiries to be made into her mode of life; and I find her to be, as you yourself represented her, one of the most profligate of women. She maintains a @ young man of exquisite personal beauty, but with whom she is completely infatuated. My knowledge of the world teaches me that where there is such infatuation on the part of a woman, there is likewise the completest confidence; and however cautions she may be in every other roe- epect-—however strong-minded in the pursuance of her own worldly in#ereste—she is nevertheless weak and foolish under the influence of that infatuation, and she reveals all secrets. ‘Wo mugt therefore get Mrs. Oxenden into our power, t ithe medium of this.Alexis Oliver. It is for you, Ohristian, te form his acquaintance; and methinks I can are range a plan by which you can render him a ser- vice,—a service whereby you may all the more effectually ™ his confidence and secure a hold over him. But inasmuch as Mrs, Oxenden knows you and has little reason to like you, she would speak prejudicially of you to Oliver; and there- fore in your dealingséwith him you must assume another name.” “I comprehend!” observed Ohristian; “and I gill lose no time in entering upon this new uty.” Mr, Oolemaz and our young hero conversed to- gether for some little while longer; and then the latter took his departure from the office in Bed- ford Ro@. ® OHAPTER CXLII. ALEXIS OLIVER. Iv was about eight o’clook in the evening of that same day; and the scene shifts to an hotel at the West Ead. In the coffee-room of this hotel Alexis Oliver was seated at a table, sipping his claret, and now and then partaking of the dessert spread before him. We have already said that he was a young man of remarkable personal beauty—not above one-and- twenty ran possess woe doen chiseled to a degree of even fom icacy. With a well filled from the ample resouzecs of Mrs. Oxen- den, Alexis wae leading a: life of dissipation, ying himeslf in the manner best suited to ad tastes and debauched habits. He was seated at that table, reflecting joyously as thoroughly depraved as herself, and | “et ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)