The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 311: what you’re looking at

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

EE en 298 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. with oyste fowls, oh raised pie, and | Oxon: ing more and more frightened, as some other Serie " the ied sold by Fortnium woh brio able to conceal her torr y thé knew that Mr. Coleman was the palisitoy engsgee ip fie defence of Lord Clandon | —and she likdd ep little 9s could be to find herself mixed up in avy of the affairs which might more | op Jess ominously regard the Duke of March- mons — “Tt hes come to my knowledge, medam,” re- sumed Mr. Coleman, “that yor are acquainted with a very serious offence committed by bis Grace of Marchmont, and that you have not given such information as might tend to place him within the grasp of the law. To have the knowledge of p érime committed by another, and to remaisi silent on the subjact, is to render oneself an accessory after the fact—-which in itself, madam, iss heinous offence, and the penalty of which in the present instance ie transportation |” The coloyr now completely fled from Mrs. nden’s pheekg; and vain wore all her efforts to ar calm and collected. She flung an appeal- ng look upon the solicitur, and faltered fourth, ‘What would you, ther, with me?” “TI requére you, madam,” replied Mr, Coleman, “ to accompany me to a place at some little dis- tance from London; end there you will have'to give your testimony——”’ “A Court of Justice P’*exolaimed Mrs. Oxen- dep, with terror and disnlay depicted upon her somntenance. “ But [ eball be branding my a { luxe and Maso : ooadilly. Wine and spirite were le qeb es o Captain's valet; and Mr. liver exhibite his intention to enjoy phmnget to the utmost of his power. Holf-an-hous afterwards Oaptain Stanley, affect- ie to be a tirely overcome dy liquor, reeled off his ‘oow,—Oliver end Christian Ashton thus being purposely left alone together. There 3 hero fo mantion the i] was no need for olf youn pame of Mrs. Oxenden onje¢ to revive the topic: Alexis bimeelf speedily returned to @ gub- ect which he was partioularly to bere upon hen ip his cups; and within ‘he next half-hour he had revealed to Christian the whole partipulars of the secret which he hirmeelf had elicited from his mietrose. The souree of’ the hold which she had obteined upon the Duke of Marchmont was he thus completely fathomed py qur hero: but it cost him an infinite amount of dissimulation, os well as e nogeesity to drink gn inordinate quantity of ‘me in order to keep Alexis company, oq, that he | j inight thus worm the details out of him. = + wes about onc o'clock in the morning when Christien and the valet conveyed Mr. Oliver to a ang sent him home to bis own lodgings. Our rp then sought Oaptein Stanley, who had not pd to rest, but was awaiting in his chem @ issue of the téte-a-téte;'and infinite wis his oy when he learnt how completely Christian had ceeeded jp his object. Infinite likewise was the gretitude of our hero for the guocgur which had eon go ably lent him by his friend @#fapley, and which had in a few hours brought to & ponclusi an undertaking that otherwise might pave laste peveral days. It was about ten o'clock on the following morn- jug—or rather we mighf say, on the eamo inorning —thet Mrs. Oxenden had just fuished ‘her break. fast, when a eprvant enteréd the elegant parlour in whieh she wee seated, and presented her's foie. ae ht jhks-She colour went and ay ¢ transitions ppon her cheeks: she looked frightened and enraged by tures—she hesitated what instrde- tions tq give the servant, who Waiting near the door; and gt length she said, “You may show the gentleman up.” a domestic obeyed the order; aad Che visitor was wehered into Mrs. Oxenden’s presence. She hed risen from her scat; and without either $e- suming jb of requesting him to teke a thair, she enid, with ap effort to a a dignified and aughty : * You, ere the writer o asa gerry Fe oo “My name ig Coleman, madam,” replied the visitor; “and thes pame appears as the signature to the note. Xow purely can recollect that you have seen m before—you once called at my oltice on sone baie relative to your husband-——” “ And you tel) we, sir, in thie note,” interrupted Mira. Oxenden, “thas you require an immediate vith me—thet you bid we hewere bow She suddenly stopped short; and Mr. Ooleman, izing his gage significantly upon her, said in a eon tone, “ Yes—it is a Court of Justice at v igh your presence is required—but it is not a Court constituted according to the prevailing laws of this country—it is a Court formed under the influence of ciroumstances as peculiar as they are terrible. It is a seeret tribual, if you will—an pquisition—bat still a Court wlicre the claims of ustice will be paramount—wlire wrong shalb be exposed and right shall be rendered triumphant. Now, madan, if is to thie solemn tribunal that 1 adjure your presénce ; and if you refuse to accom: pany we, you must take the consequences.” Mre. Oxenden experienced a deep and unknown terror af the language which flowed from the lawyer’s lips; and though in the midat of the nineteenth century—dwelling ia a city which is the contro of modern civilization—in a room where “she bed bys to stretch forth a hand fo make the bell summon domestic-servants to her assistanco— or where she need but throw yup the window and invoke the aid of the first passing constable to protect her against coercion—yet did sho feel as if she had been suddenly carried back through the vista of past centuries, into the gloomy profound of those middje ages when the public laws were sct at naught and individuals were cited by irresistible aymimoqns to appear in the presence uf the dread escrg} tribynels. No wonder, therefore, that eglomn ewe and vague numbing terror seiged upon this women, whose dqnecience was so fer from pute 1 and no wonder thaf ehp, with all her natural 0 if that things bave come fo your kuuw- isk place me more in your puypr than | | strength of mind, should tromble and feel dis mayed in be presenve af that solisityr who ap- peice’ ia gy of the power w he wielded 0 ba for me, sir-—for gegf she tultered forth, ¢, madem,” rejoined the gollgitor tepeat the seis in ro pre fo you meanl” fglipzed Ore. ae Nai ee i oF » r “ed ‘ LOOKS .CO COLUM