The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

& | rr listened to him with a sort of disrusyed stupefac- , a, nn enn anne nen nan ene SS SSSR lates sees tes tessa, gl A US I a CTE TS CTT EO Se OG I II OIE GIT gg OTT TE IOS, = tend ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. “ Who has the key at this moment P—who has tion, as well as with haggard locks. Qo spoke bad it all the evening #” demanded the Duke not a word: but hastening, or rather staggering | hastily. beck like one inebriate into thé dining-room, he tossed off a large bumper of wine. Then, still in silence, he replaced his cheque-book inghe writing- case, which he was abeut to jock,—-when Stanhope, who had followed him thither, laid bis band upon his shoulder. The Duke, who had not perceived that he was so near, started with a vinble tremor ; and again his baggard looks contemplated Stan- hope with a kind of vacant dismay. “ My lord,” said the latter, “ there is something more in all this than I comprehend. Either you ‘were smitten with a real terror or a fanciful one. If the former, there emust be a real danger, which I now inéur as well cs yourself: and if the latter, you must have a very evil conscience. At all events it may be worth your Jordship’s while to keep on friendly terms with me; and therefore you will scarcely lock up that writing-desk until you have given me some token of ——-what shall wo call it —your liberality ——that term will do:” ~-and Stanhope chuckled ironically. ~ p For a moment the Duke of Marchmont ap- peared inclined to resist with indignation his ex- tortionate demand : but a second thought induced him to yield. He accordingly drew forth the cheque-book, and filled in a draft for a thousand guineas instead of for upwards of seven times that sum, as he had at first intended. Stanhope took the cheque—glanced at ite contents—and on see- ing the amount, consigned it to his pocket witha complacent smile, as if he thought that when the sum had been dissipated he might reckon upon procuring more from the same quarter. He did not care to press the Duke for any farther expla- nation as to the scene which had taken place: he saw that the topic was an unpleasant one : but he hed his suspicion that the jint he had thrown out relative to the darkness of the nobleman’s eon- science was very far from being incorrect. The Duke remained abstracted and thoughtful for the rest of the evening ; and Stanhope, anzious to escape from such gloomy companionship, retired early to the epartment whick was provided for his reception. The instant thet Marchmont was left alone, he rang the bell, and ordered Purvis to be immediately sent to him. The old steward soon made his appearance, with his habitual demeanour | | 7——EIE o_O eee “It is here, my lord,” replied Purvis, producing the keys; “and the gardener has not had it in his possession since the forenoon.” « , “ But thosé other rooms,” said: the Duke,— “think you that anybody could have penotrated into them ?” ° “Not without my knowledge, my lord,” re- sponded the steward: “ or at all events not without the knowledge of at least some of the servants. But my I be so bold as to inquire why your Grace g 9 “It is strange—most strange!” muttered the Duke to himeelf. “Oan the dead reappear ’—or if he be living, has he come to revisit these scenes which——-” “Tam afraid,” said Purvis, “that something unpleasang has occurred to your Grace: for your looks are very much discomposed-——” “ Enough for the present!” interrupted March- mont. “I possess a feverish fancy when I think of certain things. Take care, Purvis, that all the doors are carefully locked before you retire to rest. And look well through all the rooms—behind the draperies—in every nook and corner, indeed; for the house is spacious--and it is so easy for any evil-designing person to enter and hide himaelf. See that you attend to my instructions: but do not appear to be more assiduous on these points than usual in the presence of the other domes- tics.” The Duke of Marchmont waved his hand for Purvis to retire; and he then proceeded to his cwn chamber, where he looked himeelf iu. We must now return to Mr. Redcliffe. A(ter parting from the old steward at the statue, he sped along in the direction of the cottage, where be had left the unknown woman whom he had picsed up in the road, as already describad. Duricg the short space of time ocoupied in retracing his way towards that cottage, Mr. Redcliffe reflected up»n all that had occurred et Oaklands; and most pain- ful were these reflections. That Ques» Indora was the object of the Duke’s murderous machi ‘a- tions, he well knew: but that he had paralyzed them he was almost equslly certain. And now, on his return to the cottage, he hoped to by enabled to receive some explanation from the strenger- of respectfulness; and the Dulfe—motioning him | woman's lips as to how she hac become possessed to advance close up to where Le had halted from ' of the letter contained in the sesled packet: but a troubled walk to and fro—q,id in a deep voice, he was doomed to disappointment, For, on re- “Purvis, something strange again has oocurred | entering the cottage, he at once learnt from the this evening.” mistress thereof that the woman wes gone. “§ my lord?” said the old steward.| “Gone!” ejaculated Mr. Redcliffs. “ What do “And what is it ?” you mean P—that she is gane of har vu yp accord ? “You remember that dream of mine—if it were | or that the surgeon ordered her to bs removed P” a dream———But I begin to doubt——In short,” | “No, sir,” answered the elderly female; “ she added Marchmont, most cruelly perplexed, “I! went away of her own accord.” know not what to think ——Bir who, Purvis,” | Mr. Redoliffe passed into his little ps-lour, the he suddenly demanded, “ keeps the key of the mistregs of the house following him; and he then: ‘learnt the following explanations :— “It is always in my custody, my lord,” re- | Shortly after he had left the cottage on his visit the old steward. “When the head-' to Oaklands, the woman had begun to rally far gardener requires it, I give it to him: but he | more rapidly than at first; and she soon recovered always restores it to mo—for as Oaklands is so | her consciousness. She exhibited mingled terror seldom cooupied now by your lurdsbip and her | and astonishment at finding herself in a strange Grace, I am always afraid of a set of idle tramps | place: then she rapidly felt abcut her persyn in and vegabonds getting into the place.” | search of her proparty. Tho mistress of the cottage 4 conservatory P”’ a -SEETe =e (C©) LOAO© SS (CO)