The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 327: what you’re looking at

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

314 “I was ao, your Majesty,” responded Travers: and « mofn came forth from the throat of the wretched Marchmont. “You remember the night when the Jate Duke of Marchmont was murdered ?” continued Indora: “and you recollect that the faithful dog—no doubt in the attempt to save his beloved master from the assassin-blow, or else to puaish him who dealt it— had torn off a picce of the garment worn at the tirno by that assassin P” . ‘ All this I recolledc, madam,” repliod Travers. “Enough! enough!” wildly ejaculated March- mont; and his eyes glared in their cavernous sockets, “ Why revive the horrors of that night ? Oh, inadam! who are you that you have come us an uvongeress P” “1 am here to proclaim innocence and to expose guilt,” was the solemn answer which’ the Queen giva in interruption of the Duke’s wild speech. “'l'ravers, reply to me,—reply to mo now as truth- fuliy as you have previously made the confession ! Irom whose garment was that piece rent off which the faithful dog bore in its mouth P” a “Tt was bis!” responded Travers: and he pointed to Marohmont. Hollow and dreadful was the moan which came slowly forth from the lips of¢the criminal: a dizzi- ncas spread itself before hia vision; and he would probably have fainted, had not Queen Jndora sud- denly laid her hand lightly upon hie arm, saying, ‘**Come with me.” She opened an inner door; and Marchmont fol- lowed her. Another room was entered. This also was unchanged ae to ite ugusal appointments; and lights wero burning therg. Obristian and Christina Ashtou rose from their seats as the Queen entered ; they were both very pale with suspense; for they knew that something was to happen whigh inti- mately regarded themselves -—though they were utterly unconscious of what this might be. The Duke did not appear to take particular notice of them: his energies were again palncd—he agzin folt as if heewere walking in a dream | The Queen closed the door of this room, into which Armytage had not folloqed herself and Marchmont; and without an instant’s delay, she suntched up an object which lay in a recess. This object gleamed bright across the vision of the wretched nobleman; and a cry of ‘ortor burst from his lips as he recognised it. I¢ was a dag- ger,—that same dagger which has befo> been s0 often mentioned in the pages of our nartative. “ Behold,” exclaimed Indora, as she raised the weapon in her right arm, while her form appeared to dilate, and her countenance assumed the ex- pression of an avenging goddess,—“ behold the dapger with which you took the lifo of your uncle!”—then pointing towards the twins with her left hand, she added, almost in the same breath, “And there behold the children of your murdered victim! In this youth you may see the rightful Duke of Marehwuni !” *Q God!” moaned the wretched murderer: and overwhelmed by fearfullest horror, he sank upon his knees, while the twins clung tu each ohher. in wildeat astonishment at the words which ey te just heard rrom tho lips of Queen lndora. ° . ¢ THE MYSTAKIES OF THE COURT. nih. & “SEs PG reas CHAPTER OXLVI. CLOSE OF THE TRIBUNAL. Tas five witnesses had remained in their seats upon the dais in the large apartment, hung with black, which had served asthe tribunal. The two Hindoo guards bad likewise continued in that roow, mute and motionless; but their presence was sufficiently indicative of the inutility of any attempt being made to escape on the part of any of those witnesscs whose own cone¢iences might have eacited apprchengions respecting what was to follow. The dvor communicating with the room in which Sagoonab’s corpse was laid out, had been closed almost immediately after Indora led the prisoner thither; and thus that portion of the larger apartment'was now involved in the same semi-vbscurity that prevailed elsewhere. The black drapery covered that door which had ro- cently stoo% half open: solemnly awful continued te be the aspect of the tribunal. Presently, after nearly an hour’s absence, Queen Indera retufoed. She came back alone: the pri- souer was no longer with ber. Her countenance was exceedingly pale—even more so than it was ero ano quitted that apartment: for ber feelings bad been most powerfully wrought—and if she hal experienced much satisfaction in successfully carrying out all her purposes, she had laewise falt much pain at the various details of their execution. Slowly she walked; and once more she ascended tho throne. She did not immediately speak: a dead silence still prevailed for a few minutes, while all the witnesses contemplated her with anxiety and suspense. At length she broke that silence. “The solemn object for which this tribunal was constituted,” she said, “has been achieved; and by the merciful assistance of heaven I have be- come the instrument of accomp!i: uing signal decds this night. Kaow ye all who listen toeme, that Bertram Vivian, now a prisoner in a felon’s gaol in London, is innocent of that foul crime of murder which is charged against him, and under the imputation of which his good name has sufe fered for so many, many long years! I¢ was not by Ais hand that bis late unclo perished: the hand which dvalt the assassin-blow was that of hun who has over since usurped the title of Duke of March- n.ont !’ ; Tv Madame Angelique this fact was previously known: by Wil8un Stanhope it had been for somo time more than half suspected: Mra. Oxenden, Amy Sutton, and the Burker were likewise but little astonished to hear the announcement that was just made. ‘‘'Yea,” continued Queen Indora, “ innocence is made apparent and guilt 1s exposed—the usurper is dispusseased of the title which he had so long fraudulently borne—and bis ducal curonet will henceforth be worn by him to whom it descends as a lawful heritage. I allude not to Bortram Vivian. Most of yor, if not all, ure acquainted with the name of Christian Ashton; and that excellent, high-minded, well-principled youth is now Duke of Marchmont!” Well as the listeners were prepared for the pre- vions announcement,—yet utterly unex by them was the intelligence that hed just fallen ‘es eee Wn tpt ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)