The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 324: what you’re looking at

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

fe abuininably | Ld again speaking in the voice of coldly calm autho- nity. “Turning to your Majesty’s left hand,” eon- tinued Marchmont, “7 behold seated next to you a woman who lives upon ber profligacy : and think you for a moment that the word of such a wretch would have the slightest weight with a jury of my countrymen in & legitimate Oourt of Justice P Lot her proclaim her antecedents—let her charac- ter be unmasked gs her face has ere now been un- veile:; and who would attach the remotest credence to a syllable flowing from such polluted ips Pp”? “ It is easy to use harsh epithets, my lord,” ex- claimed Mra. Oxenden, her dark eyes inehing lightning even more vivid than those which the eyes of Amy Sutton had shot forth: “ but abueo is not arguiment—and the testimony against you would be already overwhelning, were you not borne up by that very desperation which compels you to struggle unto the lust!” ‘‘As for the villain who is seated next,” con- tinued the Duke, hia eyes now settling upon the, Burnser, “the gaol yawne fer him; and i¢ were an Insult to auy jury in this country to peoduce the testimony of such a man!” “If it waan’t for such men aa you, my lord,” growled the Lurker, “thero would be fewer auch men asme! Yuu: dav is gone by ~and it’s of no use your making long &pecches and abusing them AB you was accustomed tu vec as your tools.” “As for Madume Angelique,” continued the Duke of Marchmont, who iffected to turn away with loathing and disgust from the fierce regatds of the Burker,— “as jor Madame Angelique, der character befits her to tule ber place in this com- puny with which your Majesty has chosen to sur- round yourself, The whole career of that vile renehwoman haa been one of Lardened iniquity ; and she has accumulated wealth by means the most degrading, the miost disgusting, the most 1s 16 such testimony as bers that ean allin a momont ruin the charaeter of a noble- man bearing one of the proudest of British titles ? Piuce that woman in a witness-bok, and any judge will indi_nantly command her to stand down l— nu jury would listen tu her!” “ And yet, bad as 1 may havo been,” exclaimed Madame Angelique, “J have had tho boyour of reckoning the Duke ot Marchmont amoung my most intimate friends!” ° o* L will now address myself to your Majosty,” proceeded the Duke, who choso to have the np- pearance of disdaining to bandy a word with Madamo Angelique. “I have spoken unre- servedly of the characters of yous witnesses; and your Majesty’s own good sonee must tell you that I have epoken only too truly. 1 will not pfetend to fathom the purposes which you may have in view: but whatever they way be, you must cunfess by this time that you have fuiled in carrying them out. That Ll have been guy—perbaps dissipated, —that I have been aman of pleusure—all thie it is not worth my while to deny: but on the other hand these things assuredly concern not yourself. That Mre, Oxenden has beon my mistress—that Amy Sutton has received me in her arme—or that my visits have been paid to the house of Madame Angelique, are facts whieh I might readily have admitted without the necessity of this dark parade Ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. $12 and solemn ordeal, That my purse bas been open to Mr. Stanhope—and that I have been plundered as well ae personally maltreated by that villaia who site on your Majesty's left band—are likewiee fects. But thet I have ever been their suborner of the instigator of their iniquities, is something too monstrous for belief. That I, sv proudly placed, should have condescended to suck fo!ly, is repugnant to your Majesty’s good sense. You seo, Queen Indora, that 2 am addressing you with the respect that is due to your sex and to your rank. But let me warn your Majesty that it is no light deed on your part to adopt all these proceedings against an Englishman, however humble his rauk mizht be :.but when you reflect what I am—what my rank is—and that [ am even exempt from the jurisdiction of tha ordinary tribunals of my country—end if accused of misdeeds, oan be tried only by my peers—you cannot shut out from yourself the fact that you bave taken a most serious step in subjecting ms to an ordeal which can end in naught. Therefore I demand that your Majesty at once restores me to that freedom which these myrmidons of your’s”—and he glanced towards the Hindoos—“ have so grosaly violated.” As the reader may eu ppose, it cost the Duke o Marchmoat no mean effort ta maintain the de- meanour which corresponded with the langu that thus flowed from hie lips, and which was s0 completely at variance with that inward conacivues ness of ‘a thousand crimes that he experienced: but it was etill by the very desperation of his cir- cumstanccs that he was supported ; and be was iu a condition of the yoost awful suspense as to what night be coming next. Queen ludora listened to him with all that calm attention which a righteous judge bestows upon a captive who is accused s there was nothing however in her look nor bearing to indicate that bie words had prodaced any effect upon her, either to make her think less than be- forehand of the amouat of evidence brought to bear against him, or to feel uneasy at tho respon- sibility of the position in which she hed placed her- self. The Duke of Marchmont anxidusly and caforly watched to see what tho effect uf his specch might be; and nfore deeply sank bis heart withio hin while he noticed how coldly firm and reso- lutely imperturbable were Queen Indora’s looks, And then,e tus, the door of that inner chamber atill etuod half open; and the strong light was stilt shining forth; and there was a secret voice within tle Duko’s guilty soul, telling him that what he thus vbserved related to sume tresh phase in the proceedings that were now in progress — but what it might be he could not possibly con jecture. “I have heard you with attention, prisoncr,” anid the Queen; “but it is unnecessary for me tu offer the slightess comment upon your specch. Follow me.” Sie descended fram her throne—graco and dig- nity in ber tnovements—but a deep solemnity ine vesting her as with a garment. Slow/y she pro- ceeded towards that half-open dvor—the Duke of Marehwont mechanically fullawing. The Hindoo guards did not now accompany him: the witnesses remained stationary in their seats upon the duie. The Queen entered first into the room to which we’ have so often alluded; and the moment the Duke of Marchmont reached the threshold he be- ee eee) LOAO© SS (CO)