The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

4 ‘ THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ‘ ~ = wat e , r CHAPTER CXL ¥il® SELULIS TRAGEDY. “You are aware that the Duke of Cumberland, at the time of which I am about to speak, occupied the same suite of apartiients where he now resides, in the Kitchen Court of,%. James’s Palace. You will also recollect that it was upwards of four years ago, in the summer of 1810, when the fearful tra- gedy occurred,’ At that time the three principal yalets of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumber- land were Sellis, Neale, and Joux; and they took turns, week by week, in doing duty. Joseph Sellis was an Italian—short in stature but wejl-made, with an olive complexion, and toleravly gobd-look- ing. He was married, and had four phildren. His habits were exceedingly domesticated and regular: he was a good, steady man—a kind husband and an excellent father. , Indeed he was perfectly uxo- rious in his attentions towards his wife, who was a somewhat handsome woman; and so fond was he of his children that if either of them experienced the slightest ajJment, he became overwhelmed with grief and a prey tothe most excruciating appre- hensions. His wife was an exemplary woman : and altogether it we~Jjd. be impossible to conceive .a happier family than that of Sellis. In disposition he wes mild, inoffensive, and obliging : thoroughly humai.e, he seemed incapable of harming a soul— but, on the contrary, was ever ready to perform a generous deed or render a service. In fact, he was liked not only by the Duke of Cumberland, but by the Royal Family ia general, all the Princes and Princesses noticing him,and expressing a constant interest in his welfare. Th.y, moreover, mace him numerous presents, and never seemed wearied of heaping favours upon him. To such an extent was he thus esteemed, or indeed caressed, by Royalty, that the Duke and one of his sisters—the Princess Augusta it was--stood sponsors for Sellis’s youngest child. Moreover, though all the servants of the Duke’s household were on board wages, and the valets were not regularly lodged in St James’s —the one on duty for the week alone being exe pected to sleep there asa general rule —Sellis and his family were nevertheless accommodated with rooms oyer the gatewey leading into the Kitchen Court from Cleveland Row. These rooms commu- nicated by means Of a passage with the Duke’s suite of apartments; and sometimes the Princesses, when on a vigit tu their brother's rooms, would pass into Sellis’a lodgings and fondle his children. In addition to his wages, which were handsome, he had various perquisites such as were enjoyed by no’ other dependant in the Duke's household ;—and thus in every way was Sellis a favourite, and all circumstances combined to render him a happy Peg ; “ And was he perfectly sane,” inquired Lady Pres- eott 3" in the full and complete enjoyment of his reason f”’ ‘‘ Undoubtedly,” exclaimed Mrs. Bredalbane. * Quiet but cheerful—unobtrusivein manner, though of a gay disposition—and so temperate that he never tasted spirits, disliked wine, and habitually drank water—Sellis was never a prey to any unnatural ex- citement. In fact, he was just one of those perrons who seem fitted by nature,to pass tranquilly and Sr ee - = ra 8 wm —— me meh Sse cee LJ ry : serenely through life, experiencing as little of ite agitation and turmoil ss can possibly fall to the lot of mortal. Thrifty and economical, abstemious and regular in his mode of lif, he was hot only free from pecuniary embarrassment, but had accumulated some little savings from his wages, which the pre- sents he had received from the Royal Family had materially increased.” - “Then he was altogether a good and excellent man?” said Lady Prescott. . “ An excellerit ma.s!" oried Mra, Bredalbane with marked emphasis. ‘ But haying now concluded my prefatory remarks, I shall enter upon the recital of that most dread tragedy which has made the name of Sellis known throughout the world. It was, then, in the forenoon of the 3let of May, 1810, that Sellis was walking with hia wife in St. James's Park. His mood was gay and cheerful as usual; and the discourse chiefly turned upon the prepara- tions which he wishe} hia wife to make for a little party that he propose. , é0 give in the course of whe ensuing week to celebrat. the birth-day of one of his children. Mrs Sellis promjged compliance with ail her husband's suggestions ; and at two o’clock they re-entered their lodgings. Dinner was served up; and Sellis ate with his usual appetite. But scarcely was the meal over when one of the children was taken ill with indigestion. The surgeon was sent for; and although there war no positive danger, yet such was the anxiety of Sellis Ghat he requested his wife to let the child remain with her that night, observing that, he would sleep in his own room in the Duke’s suite of apartments. Mrs. Sellis consented; and in the evening—between six and seven o’clock—Sellis re- paired to the room alluded to, to see that it was in proper order for him to pass the night there; because, I should observe, it was not Sellis’s-week for being on daty about the person of his royal master—it was Neale’s turn—and thus Sellis was not supposed to be occupying his room in the ducal apartments, bus to be sleeping (as was his wont when off duty) in his own lodgings. I may further add that the chamber of which I am speaking, and which must be called Sellis's room, was at the end of a passage communi- cating with the Duke's private. partment, and that adjoining thie apartment—indeea, separated from it by only a thin partition of wainscot—was Neale’s room. Ee kind enough to keep these particulars in our mMemory——"” “T shall not lose sight of them,” observed Lady Prescott, “ Pray‘proceed, my dear friend—I am dying with curiosity——" * ] am now approaching the blood-stained chap- ter of this narrative,” said Mrs Bredalbane,. “ It appears that Sellis having assured himself that his room was in order, and that the housemaid had not omitted to set it to rights since he last slept there, was about to ruturo to his wife, when he be- thought himself of something that he wished to siy to Neale,e He accordingly repaired to Neale’s room ; and with the familiarity usually subsisting be- tween the fellow-members of the same household, hb opened the door without knocking. But radden! starting back in dismay, he exclaimed, ‘ Heavens { the Princess Augusta! aud fled along the passage. But in his precipitate flight, be ran against Joux— the Duke's third valet—who was advanciig up the passage at the motnent, and who had heard that ejaculation which burst from his lips., On observ- ing Joux, Sellis instantaneously endeavoured te ~~ = = 2 6 re ee, eee eee ee Eee OD ean he Se ee ee = Ld <a i i PT A I a IO a at ES a SS SS SS A TN Ss sc a Sp SN Pc en ru a eT: ata ie Ei OD GOIiGooo cS) CO