The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

® G2 =a Sn a i ee eg Nee, ——e —iee. | Se eee... eee « 204 impatiently. “ Give me the key. Iswear to you they are not officers ef justice—they are only the three Owens-——” “Oh! in that case take the key,” sald Maravelli, now breathing more freely. And you must remain with me, doctor,” hastily rejoined Loftus, “as a witness of what is abuut to take place.” Our. hero now hastened, to open the front door, and at once gave admittance to Agatha, Emma, and Julia, They were all three enveloped in cloaks and closely veiled—being thus disguised to escape recognition during their nocturnal expedition from the villa to the physician’s house, and (as they hoped) speedily back aygvin. The moment they entered the hall, Jocelyn closed the front door, and said, “ Be pleased to follow me.” He then took up the candle which Maravelli had left standing upon a table i in thehall, and at once led the way to the dining-roons, keeping the physi- cian close by him. Be it remembered that the apartment which they had now entered was not the gloomy-looking little parlour previously alluded to, and on the table of which Maravelli had left the bottle of poison. On entering the dining-room, Loftus closei the door; and turning towards the ladies, he said, “ Have the kindness to raise your veils, that I may be assured that ye are really those whom I ex- pect,” With this command, delivered in the firm tone of decision, the three sisters at once complied; and then Loftus beheld those three countenances which were go familiar to him—thuse countenances on which nature had lavished so much beauty, but which were now pale and agitated. He also was very pale: indeed his cheeks were colourless— while the firmness with which his lips were com- pressed showed that he had some difficulty in mastering his emotions and sternly carrying out that which he kclieved to be an imperative duty. As for Maravelli, he also was deeply agitated: for though relieved of any immediate fear on his own account, he nevertheless trembled at the strange- ness of the present proceeding; and there: was hkewise something awful in the spectacle of that young man with the determined air of an avenging genius confronting those three pale and horror- stricken girls, at such an hour of the night, aud under all the ciroumstances that had occurred! * Now,” said Lof:us, at once resuming the dis- course iu the same firm voice as before, but like-, wise with a forced composure over @ deep internal azitation,—* all that is abuut to take place must be promptly and rapidly done. To speak the truth, I know you all three too well to believe that you can be brought to a sense of the enormity of your crimes uuless under extraordivary circum. atances. To the influence of such circumstances am I about to subject you: and here”—pointing to Maravelli—“is the man whu, having been to a certain extent implicated in one phase of your proceedings, must perform the part of a witness now. Toa chamber of hurrors am J about to lead you! Prepare yourselves for a shock: you will behold some ghastly objects—but on one only ased your eyes be rivetted-——” “Mr, Loftus!” almost shricked forth Agatha— ee Fee: ona” oe fm 7. = ot = ages Se eee eS OE ll — 7 “tee — = = Le ome EoD 7 - — ou Per an THE MYSTERIES OF THE count. and she would have fallen had not her sisters sup- ported her; «“ you will not--you cannot—you dare | not as a man——” “Hush, hush!" was the quick whigper which Emma breathed‘in Agatha’s ear. “ You must con- fess nothing—it will be safer not.” “Weil, sir,” said the eldest sister, regaining her fortitude at this hint; “ what horgors are these which you have in preparation for a us ?”.—and she threw a ghaetly look upon our young hero. “Not for worlds,” exclaimed Loftus, “would I submit you—wicked and depraved though you are —to this ordeal, if I thought you would confess everything of your own accord! Say then at once -~say then,” he repeated earnestly and impres- sively; “to whom were this man’s services adminis- tered,”—and he again glanced towards Marayelli— “on that memorable night, three weeks ago, when a child was born within the walls of the Princess's villa?” a Agatha essayed to give some answers; but her tongue refused to porform: its office, and she stood gazing in silent horror upon Jocelyn Loftus. “Ask Dr. Maravelli,” said Julia hastily, “whom he suspects to have been his patient on that memo- rable night.” “No,” immediately exclaimed Loftus; “ I require not mere suspicione—I want positive evidence. Re- member, thigis most serious—and the manner in which it will end depends wholly upon yourselves.” “For God's sake go through with the ordeal, whatever it may be,” whispered Emma, as’ she stood behind her sister Agatha, whom she half sustained from sinking upon the carpet. Agatha instantaneously regained a degree of com- posure——not so much on account of her sister Emma’s encouraging words, at becauss & sudden idea struck herself. Indeed, she saw that if they were enabled to eet Jocelyn at naught in the clue which he dad obtained, it might yet be possible to have the whole matter hushed up so as to avoid the necessity of having murder done in respect to Loftus and Lady Prescott. That is to say, if they could manage to leave the circumstance of the child- birth in such doubt and mystery that the Princess should stl remain an object even of the remotest suspicion, then was it probable that Loftus would be most anxious to avoid public exposure. Such were, the thoughts which all in an instant ewept through Agatha’s miod, and impressed ber with the importance of ‘nerving herself to the utmost of her power to meet any horrors and go through any ordeal that might be in store for her sisters and herself, “Misa Owen,” said Loftus, fixing his eyes searchingly upon her,—“to you do 1 specially address the question relative to the birth of that child to which allusion has been made !” ¢ And J, sir,” she answered, with a degree of composure that now astonished herself, “refuse to give any respon:e where the honour of a lady is so deeply implicated." “Then tell me,” said Loftus, his voice and his look now assuming the deepest—the most awe- iuspiriug solemnity,—“ will you consent to cast your eyes upon the remains of the infant whereof I am speaking, and all three swear in the presence of the corps _that, had it lived, it would not have been able to assert the claims of nature upon either uf you three sisters ?” eg I! 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