The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

eT eta te eel SEASONS «.cminden pics WEP min and stiParaisiny. « tae or ESB re toh 152 = kh hese 4g, 4 rd THE NYSTERIES OF THE COURT. TS CT A aa IS Fc ep OO eet, afford a clue to the reading of the mystery con- cerning her. Indeed, it would then even become almost intelligible enough, without waiting to hear the tale from her own lips, why she sought the re- tirement of a physic'an’s house in a city so far removed from her native England. When supper was over, Dr. Maravelli rose from the table and begged to apologise for a brief absence on the plea that he had a patient to visit. Jocelyn and Mrs. Roberts were accordingly left alone together. “ Madam,” said our hero, now addressing the lady in English, after a brief silence, which had followed | the closing of the door behind Dr. Maravelli; * yor Se eee ae ee, OE. oie gr en ee a a ~— = pom will pardon me for seeking the earliest opportunity to revive the topic which was engaging us ere now—I mean relative to your knowledge of my name——” ) : “TI not only know the name of Jocelyn Loftus,” eaid Mrs. Roberts, with a peculiar look, “ but also that which is really your own.” “Ab!” ejaculated our hero: “then how is it that J am thus known to you?” “Hush! we may not speak upon these matters now or here,” interrupted the lady. “The doctor may return at any moment~or he may overhear us from some adjacent room: for this is a strange ram- bling house—old-fashioned and tortuous in its ar- rangements as a feudal castle; and there is no kaow- ing from what neigbouring apartment our host may listen to anything that is taking place in this?” “ Then do you not think that he has really gone j; out?” inquired Joeelyn. “T dare say he hae,” replied the lady: “ but it is quite possible he may return sooner than we expegt. He says that he does not understand English: but prudence forbids us trom relying on that aver- ment.” *Then will you, madam," asked Jocelyn, “ give me an early opportunity of conversing with you | alone, and in tome place where we shall be free from interruption ?” “ Yes—for I also wish to converse with you—and the sooner the better,” said Mra. Roberts. “I am acquainted with your object—I know your deaign— and if I can possibly forward it——-But hore am I “doing precisely what J counselled you not to do— that is, talking on private matters——” “ And yet what suspense shall I remain in dutil opportunity serves for the promised explanations !” said Jocelyn, “ When can you favour me——” after a few moments’ reflection. “We will meet when the house is quiet:"—then as if instan~ taneously understanding what an equivocal con. struction mizht be put upon this proposal, she hastened to observe, “J have no doubt you will be located in one of the rooms opening from the long passage on the first floor. At the end of that passage there is a drawing-room, looking on the garden at the back of the house. I will be there within half-an-bour from the tims that the household retires tu rest.” Jocelyn, who at once comprehended the deli- egcy which prompted this arrangement, thanked the lady for the appointment sv given, aud pro- mised to aval himself of it. They then talked upon ind ferent matters; and in a few minutes Dr. Maravelli came bagk. Soon afterwards Mrs. Roberts rose for the purpose of retiring to her = _=—— epee Semmes oo: anf own room; and when she had taken her depar- ture, the doctor said to Jocelyn, “ Noy, without seeking in any way to penetrite into your affaire or your business at Geneva, permit'me to observe that if I can forward your views or assist you in any way, I shall feel delighted to do so.” Our hero thanked the physician for this propo- sal—guardedly observing that if he required his succour he would avail himself of it. He then re- quested to be allowed to retire for the night; and he was accordingly conducted to the same bed- room where he had ere now changed his ap- parel, re His baggage had been duly fetched from the village-inn, and was in the chamber allotted to him. He accordingly whiled away the time by taking out the thinga that he should require for his morning’s toilette, until he thought it time to repair to the room indicated by Mra. Roberts. She had said that she would be there half-an- hour after the household should have retired, and when the establishment was silent: but heaven knows it had allalong been silent as the tomb. Indeed the silence of that house had something ominous and appalling in it. It seemed the silence of the dead. Though Jocelyn was in all the vigour of youth—with the fine glowing intellect of earliest manbhood—endowed with the loftiest courage and the noblest spirit, yet did he feel as if the interior aspect of that house, so sombre and so gloomy, were sufficient to damp his energies and fill him with melancholy forebodings. He thought of the passage outside, with its two arrays of doors; and he wondered if those rooms were tenanted by lodgers, or if they were left to diladation and decay. That they were for the most part uuoc- ur gon ante eabieeieed m RaeE EMR o8 menindee, cateese Ee Semana aw == — aa ee eee eee —— ee ee oe ee -— -— cupied he felt convinced—not merely because he | had neither seen nor heard of any lodyer save Mrs. Roberts, but likewise because it was impos- sible that the house could be so still if there were so many inhabitants beneath its roof. ~~ <n However, Jocelyn’s reflections were eut short by the arrival of the moment when he deemed it fit to issue forth from his chamber and seek the drawing-room mentioned by Mrs. Roberts. He opened the door noiselessly—took the candle in his, hand—and proceeded stealthily along the passage, The boards creaked under his feet—the light threw strange shadows upoo the wall--and Jocelyn felt, not as if he were threatened by any danger, but ag if he were doing something that was wrong. It was a feeling of uneasiness perfectly intelligible and natural ander the circumstances. On reaching the end of the passage, he suddenly found himself placed in an awkward dilemma: for there were fwo doors fronting him, and he knew not which to choose. He examined both the doors cirefally,in order to ascertain if a light glimméred through the key-hole of ether: but no —all was darkness. He stooped down aud peeped —he likewise listened at each key-hole: but dark- ness and silence seemed to reign within either apartment. What was he to do? Should he re- trace his steps to his own chamber and return presently? Or hed the lady been deceiving him ? And now, for the first time, did it eccur to Loftus that some treachery mightte intended him. Yet how and what? No, it could not be. The laay had not thrown herself in his way to seduce him tw that house; their meeting had been purely aoci- @) COUN AOC) cS) CO