The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

age. OS Ge Ge se See =e eee ee oe oe oo ee ee ee eee el eee eee, —_——~= — =— ee | Zee eee ee ed Sy ee Ee eee ee ee ee a ee en a CE oe 762 Ee you particularly wish ro see them in a more Private manner, I can tell vou the tavern which they are in the habit of frequenting.” At this moment a knock was héard at the room- door; and Mavolts entered with the announcement that the doctor’s presence was immediately required at an hote: much frequented by foreign visitors, especrilly the English. Me thereupon sallied forth ; and Jocelyn proceeded to his own chamber where he sat down to pen a letter to bis Louisa and also to’reflect upon the course which he should now pur- gue im consequence of the many important revela- tions He had just received from Dr. Maravelli. In this manner he whiled away the time till mid- day, when he repaired to the drawing-room,—Mrs. Kuberts having given him to understaud on the preceding night that she would be there at that hour, ment: aud he aceerdiugly found her seated upon Nor did she now fail to keep the appoint- the sofa tn that apartment. A dead pallor sat upon the olive hue of her skin, making her seem as if she had recently eeu very She also looked lauguid and weak; aud it was but too evident that she had sustained a severe shock from the immersion iu the water and the oxcitemens she had undergone, in her delicate situation, on the preceding evening. She éudea- voured, however, to smile cheerfully as she gave our hero her hand: bat he could uot help saying, “Jam afraid you are very ill?” *I do indeed feel more severely to-day than ' did last uight, the effects of my rash and wicked atten’pt at self-destruction,” answered Mrs. Ro- berts: “but I shall be better to-morrow. I pro- mised you last night that I would repair to-day to the villa, and eudeavour to obtain an interview with her Royal Highneas; but I am afraid I must postpone this visit until to-morrow, when [ hall no duubt be better. Indeed, unless you are very impatient, I can faithfully promise you that to- maorrow your, letter shall be delivered to her Royal Highveas.” “J could not think of pressing you to undertake a task for which you are evidently so unfitted to- day,” said Jocelyn. He then proceeded to inform Mrs. Roberts how he had succeeded in wormmg out of Dr. Mara- velli so mavy important secrets connected with. the villa; but when he mentioned the nameg of | Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith as those of the two - Englishmen who had bired Kobolt and his gang to carry off the two females to Lausaune, he no- ticed that Mrs. Roberts became much affected, _ She trembled violently and burst into tears. Then, -— eae — —_—= - remembering all she had said on the preceding nivht relative to her faithless lover and one of the Miss Owens, it instantaneously struck him that either Smith or ‘Thompson was the feigned name under which that noble seducer of her's had tna- velled on the Continent. “T sec that you have divined what is passing in my thoughts,” she said, gazing upon Jocelyn throach her tears. © Aud now | can full well un- derstand that it becomes important for you to ascertain ali that you can, relative to that intrigue between my taithless lover and Julia Owen.” “It is indeed of importance,” said Jocelyn; “because from all that 1 told you last night it is probable that, faithful to the vile mission whiel they have received from the arch-conspirators in = Glee ven, f THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. eee aa Ee pet London, these Owens have managed to throw the guilt, the scandal, and the dishonour of their pro- fligacy upon the*Princess. It is important, then, as you will see, madam, that I should glean every po-sible evidence to prove that profligacy on the part of either or all of those Miss Owens.” “You have nauglit to do, Mr. Loftus,” said the lady, “but repair to the Town-hall, examine the Police-book, and ascertain where the inuividual named Thompson lived when at Geneva. You can then follow up your inquiries at the place so indicated and perhaps you may glean much im- portant information concerning him. “ And Mr. Smith the same?” said J ocelyn. “Alas! I am in a position to tell you certain particulars relative to him," resumed the lady, with a profound sigh: “for he is the treache: ous one of whom I have been speaking. Here then is the address of the lodging which he occupied when at Geneva. If yon gu to the house, you will be received by a young and beautiful girl—one of those models of true Genevese loveliness—but who, alas! is gradually becoming the mere wreck of her former self. That this sad change is taking place in her, is but too evident—even tu the eye of one who never saw her ere the blight of surrow had fallen upon her cheeks. Did 1 not tell you last night,” voutinued Mrs. Roberts, with a strong accentuativn of bitterness, “ that on pu'suing my inquiries Aere—within the walls of Geneva—I learot enuugh to put td flight all dreains of lové and hope, and make me think only of vengeance ? For that treacherous one who scrupled -nut to make a moment’s plaything and toy of me, and then tossed me ignominivusly awa’, has dune the same by this poor Geuetvese girl. Nay, his conaye ct has even been more flagitious towards her than in respect to myself: for Z knew thiut he was married, and I fell therefore with my eyes open. Yea, mine was the guilt of sheer pro- fligacy: and its punishment was merited! But that poor girl, placing full reliance upon the word of ap Englishman, belicved that he was un- married; and little dreaming that he was of a lordly rank and so highly placed above her, she surrendered herself to his honour—but iu the hope of becoming his wife. Duting the last month of “his residence at Geneva, he was trequently ubseut from pis lodging for the whole night; and though at first his excuses satisfied the gurl, she at length grew jealous. So she followed hun— kept a watch &bout the villa—aud gleaned unmis- takuble proof that he was carrying on an intrigue with Miss Julia Owen. But still the poor Geue- vese girl said nothing to her seduoer: for she was afraid of angering him, and she trembled lest he should seek some subterfuge for not fulfilling his pledge to her—that pledge the fulfilment whereof she stcod so much in need to save her honour! But all on a sudden her seducer’s precipita e de- parture from Geneva filled her with despair; and now, as I have ere now told you, Mr. Loftus, she is a sinking wreck, though still retaining all the evidences of remarkable beauty. But even in three weeks has affliction worked fearful inroads upon her———Ah! nu wonder: for if m¥ heart be nearly broken, experienced as I am in the ways of the world, what must be the feelings of this un kappy girl, so innocent, so full of gaiety and joy. until she became his prey !” | | | | ElOOO O) cS) CO