The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

hi ieee, Eee, eee ss 06 was dressed in deep black, with a snowy white neckcloth: bis look was profoundly solemn ; and it was likewise with the utmost respect that he ad- vanced towards the throne upon which Indara was scated. Sinking spon one knce, he handed a card to the Queen, saying, “ May it please your Ma- jesty, eke whose namo is thereon earnestly im- plores a few minutes’ private audience.” Indora, glancing at the gard, seemed for a mo- ment to be much agitated; and then a look of boundless compassion, ap upon her hand- some countenanee-—while. her bean heaved with a deep sigh. ‘«T will see her, Parvis,” she answareds—* yoo, I will see her.” Thus speakieg, Bodora descended ftom the thrune; and followed thea old steward from the apartmens by meane of the same door through which be had eatered. It communicated with the spacivas landing; and ee it closed behind the Queen, she eaid to Purvis, "You have not left tar together . “No, your Melesty," be responded: “ thy Duke is in the waiting: tpam, wenied by the aindaoe aod the Daches) is in tate apartchent:"—at the same time he pointed tawards a door ga the appo- a me = a Bf wt & = =e site side of the landing. “And her Grace i alone there?” said the Agta inquiringly. e “Her Grace is along there,” ined the old steward. “She is aodly afflicted—eke is likewise in a state of eansternation——~”” “Yea—she is deeply, deeply to be pitied!” sa'd Indora, with another sigh. “ But it is impossible that her feelings can be regarded ia the present case. Sad indeed is the destiay of this pope lady —fatcd as she is to feel the affects of ali her hus- band’s stupendous crimes }— bat the hand of justice cannot remaip palgied nor the interest af others be sacrificed on her account. this, 1 you coraprehend as wellas].’ “Your Majesty haa already plain that much to me,” auew “ T too experiance an inmense Grace: but at tha eamea time feelings and i ageg to ex- the wld thaweed rapathy for her know that Aer“ t taugt now be regarded as secondary to the aceomplishwent of those para- mount duties which [ am humbly but faithfully assisting your Majesty to perform.” © Lhe Queen smiled graciously upon Purvis; and she then paseed on into the room where the Duchess of Marchmont was so anxiously awaiting her presence. This was the second time that these two ladies had met,——that royal lady and that ducal one ;— and now the latter, hastcning forward, threw her- self at the feet of the former. The Duchess had at length become acquainted with the sovereign rank of her who on the first occasion she had only known as the Lady Indora: but it was not so much in homage to a Queen’thateshe thus knelt, as it was in the character of a suppliant to one whom she felt to be,’ by.some mysterious aud un- known means, the arbitress of her husband’s des- tiny, and therefore of her owrt. “ Files, Duchess of Marchmont!” said tho Queen; bending down to take the hands of the progtrate Lavinia; “and receive at once from my lips the assurance of my illimitable sympathy ! But at the same ¢ime let me not by thuse words @ THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. am@ Gna appear to encourage a hope whieh cannot possibly be realised ——” “Oh! then there is something very dreadful whieh menaces my husband!” exclaimed Lavinia, starting up from her kueeling position: “and your Majesty is invested with the power to punish him! But, Oh! madam, the most beautiful of all royal prerogatives is that of mercy; and whether your's be now exercised in atrict accordance with the law, or only by virtue of the moral power which you wield and whieh my husband's misdeeds have given you, yet do I beseech that the sentiment of mercy will not be forgotten !” “Let ue sit down together for a few minutes, Dachegs of Merchmont,” said the Queen; “and we will converse :”—then having handed her Grace to a seat, Indora fixed her large dark eyes carvestly upon her countenance, and asked, “* Has your lady- ship the slightest. suspicion of the real cause for which your husbend has been brought hither ?” “ My thoughts are all in confusion,” replied tLe Duchess; “and I know not what to conjecture— what to suapect! But doubtless it is that same subject which on a former occasion led me to seek an interviewewith your Majesty—some deep, deep cause of offence which my husband has given you ———Alas! I fear me, the death of your Hindoo ayah Sagoonah P”’ “Tho Duke of Marchmonf has been very, very ill,” interrupted the Queen, @ithout giving any ro- Gponse to the observations of the Duchess; “ and he has been raving in the delirium of fever, I[ know also that your Grace has been a faithful, o constant, and an affectionate attendant at the bed. side of your husband. Tell me, therefore—did he never in those ravings givo uttoranco to aught which might have led your Grace to suspect Oh! how can I put this question to a wile P—a wife too who loves her husband, nutwithstanding he is su unworthy of her |” Indora became greatly troubled; for all: her most generous feelings and all her most qmpas- siunate sentimeute were exoited on behalf of the unfortunate lady, who, pale and careworn, full of affliction—with a h€art torn by vague wild terrors, and a soul tortured by suspense—was seated all trembling by her side. “Ob! the ravings of my husband woro some- times terrible—terriblo!” exclaimed the Duchess of Marchmont; “and yct they wore sv incoherent —so disjvinted—that I could not comprehend them. Névertheless, I must admit that I heard enough to carry the appalling conviction in unto my mind that bis eonscience was sorely burdened: for otherwise no imavination could have been sv shockingly excited! And there have been mo- ments too,” continued the Duchess, now shudder- ing with’a visible horror, “when hideous fancies have flitted through my brain-——~But no, no!” she ejaculated, literally shaking herself in tho wildness of her harrowed thoughts; “it is im- possible !—it is impossible |” “ At least, my dear madam,” said the Queen, in her most soothing tone, “ your conscionce is pure —and you have naught to apprehend on your own account !’ “Ob! but what happens to my husband,” ex- claimed Lavinia, passionatcly, “will redeund upon me! ‘Tell me-—Oh ! tell me, what means the hor- rible mystery of all these proceedings ? No sooner al re alee -— eee oO Gee ee eee eee LOAO© SS (CO)