The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

they were 00 firmly interwoven as it were that I was eompelied to use more violence than one likes to exbibit towards the dead, in drder to get them asender. I iaid them aide by side on the slope rising from the stream to the foot of the precipi- tous height; and then I eped for assistance.” « By the time this narrative was finished, Jeebella and the steward renebed the grove through whieh the path went slightly winding towarda the bridge. The grove consisted chiefly of Zr-trees; and as these retained their verdure, they formed a sarean veiling the bridge until a turn in the path sud- denly brought the young lady and the steward in sight of jt. The gurgling Uf the waters in the depth of the abyss met ¢heir ears; and Isabella shuddered at the thought that in those depthe her relatives had met their doom ! “The bridge has now two reils, you perceive, Miss,” said the steward: “but atthe time when the event took place, it only had one. Imme- diately after the occurrence I ordered another to be fixed up; and the passage of the old bridge is now somewhat safer—though an incautious, timid, or a tipsy person might stil) easily slip through.” ° “Let the building of the new bridge be added to the list of improvements which I suggested yesterday,” said Isabelfa. *‘ It shall be done, Miss,” answered the steward, with a respectful bow. Isabella now entered upon the bridge; and the ateward pointed out to her where the handkerchief was found and where the piece of the dress was discovered fluttering. The young lady looked down shudderingly into the depth where the tor- rent, ewollen by recent rains, was eddying end foaming: but she soun raised her eyes, for ber brain grew dizzy. “You perceive, Mies,” said the steward, indi- cating the gontrary direction, " where the side of the dell gises into that eminence. There is a bridle path along there. I¢ was much further off from the edge somo few years ago: but with the falling- in of the earth it is getting neasér and nearer. It qwas along that path I was coming when | caught sight of the two bodies—which however at first seemed only one object—in the depth below. You may observe where a stunted tree grows sloping out from the precipitous side of that eminonce. A few yards on this side of the exact spot whiah it overhangs, lay the corpves, which the force of the torrent had swept thither until the atones arrested their farther progress. It is singular,” added the steward, with a significantly sombre look, “ but there is a legend attached to this bridge ; and your two relations, Miss, formed the second psir who were found in that very epot, the female with her arms clasped tight round the neck of her male companion :—end hence the name of the Maiden’s Bridge.” “indeed, thia ia singular!” said Ieabella, a thousand circumstances connected with the de- ceased Adolphus and Ethel rushing in uate her memory. “I never heard that logebd i have the ess to recite it while we slowly pursue our walk on the other side of this bridge ; for my brain |. feels disay while I stand here.” “And by crossing the bridge, Miss,” the ateward, “you will behold the very ¢o with which the legend is likewise associated.” The steward then proceeded to tell the tale which is already known to the reader ;’and if he did not embellish it with such poetic languege as that whieh Adolphus had weed when reoiting the tale to dthel, he nevertheless preserved ali the facts; a0 that Isabella listened with a profound at- tention. By the time the narrative was Saished, they reached the vicinity of the qottages; aud the ateward remarked, “ By the bye, Miss, [ was going to meatipn to you that a poor shepherd who in- habits one of thege dwellings, hes lus wife exceed- ingly ill. Ihave done a great for the weman: the doctor hae attended her—I have sent her all kinds of : but she seems in a very low way; and it would perhaps cheer her if pou would condescend to Jook in upon her.” “Ah! mpat willingly ehell FE perform this duty,” said Isabelle. “ Let us enter the habitation of the invalid.” « They entered ib accordingly. I¢ was a aroall cottage, having only two rooms, the inner one of which contained the sheplerd’s wife. She was a woman of about forty—psle and emaciated with illness; her husband was absent at his work: their deughter—@ girl of twelve or thirteen—was at- tending upon her invalid mother. The steward remained in the outer roem, while Miss Viucent entered thet where ghe invalid ocoupied a comfért- able bed-thanks to the generosity of Jeabelia’o humane intendant. “ When Mise Vincent announced herself, tho woman was greatly affected by what she conceived the honour thus dane bers but the young lady gave her to understand that ehe regarded it merely asa duty which, as the owner of the estate, she was performing. The invalid was in a low aad despondizg way, as the steward had already inti- mated; and it was only with 9 sickly smile that she expressed “her thanks for the assurance mace by ‘Teabella that she ld not be neglected. All of a sudden thé woman said to her young daughter, “Go into the other room, my dear child: I wish to speak to our kind benefactreg, alone.” ®The girl obeyed the mandate; and when the door in the par¢ition closed behind her, the invalid woman, raising herself up in the bed, looked ear- nestly at Isabella—and said, “I have something, Miss, that ls heavy on my mind—something | have Jonged to tell, but have not dared. As yet oAly my husband knows it; and he bade me keep silent. ,But you have spoken such kind words to me, and your luvke are so sweet and amiable, that I feel I must tell the secret to you.” “What is it?” asked Isabella, with the awe- inspiring apprehension that she was about to listen to the revelation of a crime. “TI do not know that I have done anything very, tery wrong,” resumed the women: “ but atill I have been afraid, because——"" “Tell me what, you: have to say,” interrupted the young lady, full of anxiety; “and I will can- didly give you my opinion upon your conduct, whatever it may have been?’ “TT om abouts to speak, Miss, of something that happened here—I mean in the dell——” “The death of’ my relations?” interjected Iea- bella, in feverish suspense. ¢ “ Yes, Mies,” responded the woman. “I naver told any one except my husbands but—but—J heard and sew it all!” a a ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)