The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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64 a violent blow with his clonched fist that Mr. Softly shuddered to the innermoat confines of his beiny; while his mistress whispered in a hastier and more tremulous tone than evet, “ He is mad! he is desperate! For heaven’s sake say anything —everything to pacify him! If know all your courage, my dear Au:ustus: but think what a dreadful thing it would bo for me if he stretched you weltering in your blood at my feet !” At this horrible idea poor Suftly gave vent to a low mvan; and he trembled so perceptibly that the reader may marvel how it was ,that Armantine could whispcringly add, “For both our sakes re- strain this dreadful ardour of your’s!—curb your fidty temper !—tell him everything ~—promise him { overything—vr he will massacre us!” Meanwhilo Captain Cartwright, having dealt that terribly energetic thump upon the table, took three or fuur strides to and fro in the apartment as if to compose his excited fveling: but if this were his object, the aim was not reached—for it was with the fierccst possible expression of counte- nance that he once more accosted the miserable Augustus Softly. “ Yos, sir,’ continued the fire-eater, “if that youne lady is your wifo, I shall be happy—TI shall rejuice: I shall be enabled to speed to her father with the agreeablo intelligence. But if, sir, on the other hand”—and here Captain Cartwright ground bis teeth as if with an uucontrollable fury at tho bare idea ho was about to explain,—“ if, sir, you cannot look me frankly in the face and say that ehe is here without discredit or dishonour to herself, I shali be compelled, sir—painful though the, alternative be—to embrue my hands in the blood of a fellow-creature !” Having given vent to this frightful threat, Cap- tain Cartwright did not dash his clenched fist upon the table—but he stalked straigh¢ up to where the young ollicer’s sword laygand he deliberately drow tho weapon from ite sheath. “Just heaven, he will murder us!” whispered Armantine, as if ina dying voice. “For my sake ~—~-for both our sakes—tell him I am your wife!" “ Bat, my dear girl——” “Did you speak, sir?’ demanded the officer, turning ryund upon Softly with such flerce abrupt- ness that the unfortunate young gentleman felt his blood all curdling in his veins, his teeth chat- tering, and his limbs trembling. ‘ Did you speak, air, I ask?—did you give me an answor to my question? Yes*or no—is that lady your wife?” “ Yo-e.6-8,” replicd Augustus, in such a ter- rible state of bewilderment that he ecarcely know what he was saying. “Yous?” exclaimed Cartwright. “Speak it out more plainly !” “For heaven’s sake,” whispered *Armantine, “ dearest Augustus——” ‘ “Yes, she ie my wife!” said the young officer, feeling as if by tho assertion his life was suddenly saved. " “Thon look up, Armantine and be not abashod!” exclained Cartwright. “Never miod this masquerading nonsenso—dressing yourself up in your husband's regimentals! New-married people are as silly as lovers after all! Mr, Softly, you are'a man of honour—I am proud, sir, to aCquaintanes. There is my band.” thus speaking, the terrible captain had ater? ole ‘breakfast we = ma Sad ERR Sn as THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. roturned the sword to-its sheath; and hastily draw. ing off his buckskin glove, he presented his hand to Softly. The young gentleman took it; and now Mademoiselle Armantine ventured to look round upon the flerce Captain. m “Do not be efraid of me any longer,” ho said, assuming a milder tone and Jook. “ Horo’s my hand for you also—and now I can ‘communicate joyous tidings to your fathers But, Ah! I forgot something! The marriage cartificate? I must see it—I must satisfy myself beforo I compromise my word in communicating with your fathor,” “Tell him you havo left it elsewhere,” hastily whispered Armantine. “Tell him anything—for heaven’s sake do! His look is already chang- ing.” “The marriage certificate, sir?” said Captain Cartwright sternly, ; “The certificate? Ob ye-e-e-s,” stammercd the Won. Augustie Softly. “It’s all right—it's—it’s at a friend’s of mine—where we had the wodding- yoe-c-c-8, that’s it.” * Good!” exclaimed Captain Cartwright: “ you are a manrof honour in every respect—and it re- joices mo that I can bo proud of your friendship instead of having to wreak a frightful vengeance upon you. Llerc’s to both your healths !” Thus speaking, the noW appeased fire-cater filled himself a glass of champagne, aud poured the con- tents down that throat from which such terrible menaccs had recently come forth. “ Mr. Softly,” he continuel, “I must seo this certificate. I can say nothing to Armantine’s father until I have received indisputable evidence that she és your wife. To-morrow I am engaged to fight a duel in the morning—to trounce a rusval in the afternuun—and@ to break a fellow’s head at my Club in the evening. Dut tho day after, sir, at two o'clock punctually, I shall be here. Idon’t hke using threats, sir,”—-and here the Captain looked most ovorpowcringly fierce: “but if the certificate is not forthcoming, I shall be compelled, sir—dis- agreeably compelled —;to inflict such a chastisement on you-——" “Oh, Captain Cartwright!” exclaimed Arman- tine, as if in an agony of terror: “spare these dreadful threats!—the certificate will be furthcum- ing! Will it not, dear Augustus P’—and she looked appealingly at ber paramour. “'Yo.e-e-s—Oh! yea,” responded, the miscrable Softly, wits again felt that all the bloud was curdling in his veins and that bis hair was stand- ing on end. “Good!” exclaimed the Captain. “The day after to-morrow at two o'clock I shall be here !” He then stalked out of the room, closing the door violently behind him; and the miserable Mr. Augustus Softly sank with a bollow groan into an arm-chair. He logked the very picture of wretch- edness: but Armantine filled him a glass of wine —seated herself on his knee—wound her arm abont his néck—end plied all her moat witching cejoleries—lavished too all the most tender ca- regsos, with euch effect that the young gentleman rallied sufflolently to envisage his puntion and discuss it withia himself. ‘What was tobe done? To “peal to a magit trate for protection against the fire-eater, would be virtually tj avow a dastard inability to protect himself. To rua away from London at's moment COMIC OOO© SS (CO)