The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 397: what you’re looking at

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

» 384 e imperceptibly into that sleop from which on { and earth there is no awakening ! & % * ¥ % * % *% *% ¥ % e * * ¥ % % It was in the forenoon of the second day after this catastrophe, that Mrs. Owon and Mary entcred alone together into the cham- ber of death, and knelt down by the side of the couch on which the two dead sisters lay. They had both been placed upon the same bed, —lLr. Dupont, with what may be termed a pootic: delicacy of sentiment, symbolizing in this arrangement that identity of feeling which had made the two sisters cling to cach other from the first moment they had entered his asylum. There they lay, stretched out in the garments of the grave—the snowy whiteness of the shrouds: being not whiter than the nfarble courfienances of the dead girls. Yes—side by side they lay, like two oe statues carved upon the same monn- ment. Their features, fixed in the sleop of death, wore looks serene and placid : the world’s cares ruffed them no more ;—the passion which had stirred their frail natures, excited them no longer; they seemed indeed as if no ather expression that that of innocence had ever been upon their faces. Life’s storm had sunk into an utter lull, beneath the palsying hand of Death. And by the side of that couch were the two sisters thus lay motionless and statue-like, side by side, knelt the mother and the surviving sister. There was n» passionate outpouring of frenzied affliction now ; and the solemn silence of the chamber of death was broken only b the low, half-subdued, but not the less convul- sing sobs which indicated the well nigh suffo- cating grief of those anguished mourners. Long did they kneel there, by that bed on which the two departed girls lay stretched :— and in the depths of their sauls they prayed fervently and with a most unfelgned sincerity. Poor Mary had naught wherewithe to reproach herself: but the mgmother—the wretched, misorable mgther—had everything in the form of dire remorse to Incerate her heart. Then did she feel that in this world there may bo condign punishment for wrongs perpetra- ted and sigs committed : for hor conscience wes bitter and merciless indeed in its self-ac- cusings. They quitted the room at length, having taken a Jast long look at the countenances of the dead—those countenances to which théy also pressed their lips. It was with slow and mournful pace—as if with leaden limbs dragged along painfully —that they thus issued from the chamber. But when they reached the passage outside, having noize- leasly closed the door behind them, all the wildness of their grief burst forth; and for some minutos they leant against the wall, wecping and sobbing, and giving vent to the most agonizing lamentations. Then thoy slowly passed away; and entering the hired vehicle that was waiting for them at the gate, returned to their lodgings in Geneva. days ufterwards the remains of the two sisters were consigned to the same grave where the murdered Emma already slept; but no pen can describe the paroxysm of mental anguish which tho surviving sister THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. een cree ene eg PC COTES SS the miserable mother endured when they beheld the two coffins consigned to the last home of the dead.ongs. ' CHAPTER CCIX, @ LAKE LEMAN. -A wew days after the funeral, Mrs. Owen and Mary, attired in their deep mourning garments, embarked on hoard the packet- vessel which plied? between Geneva and Lau- sanne. It was ten o'clock in the forenoon; and the weather was inclement and thréat- ening. The sky was overcast with dark clouds; and a sombre gloom appeared to rest upon the slopes ahd eminences on the farther shore of the Iake, thus giving «a cheerless aspect to the scenery that in the sunshine was wort to be so fresh, so varied, and so beautiful. It was a small vessel, and there, were but few passengers on board ; but amongst them was one who surveyed Mrs. Owen and Mary with mingled interest and attention. This was the same young English- man whom they had encountered a fortnight back, when on their way to Dr. Dupont’s asylum. He saw that they were in mourn- ing, and observed also the deep affliction that was expressed in their looks: he there- fore naturally concluded that some calamity, ereater even than eny they had anticipated, at the time he met them, had since occurred. But from motives of delicacy he did not like to obtrude himself upon their notice: and therefore from his station at a short distance on the deck, he stood regarding them with mingled curiosity, interest, and commiscration. ¢he beauty of Mary, which was: apparent despite the grief that consumed her at the time, had struck this young gentleman on the occasion when, alighting from his post- chaise, he had accosted her mother and herself on the high road e¢o Geneva: and more than once duréng tae fortnight which had since elapsed, had her imago recurred to his mind. Notwithstanding the sympathy which her present appearance, in mourning and in visible grief, excited in his breast, this feeling was not without a mingled sen- timent of pleasure at beholding her again ; and the longer he gazed upon her sweetly vbeautiful and pensive countenance, the deeper was the interest which he felt on behalf. or Presently it struck him that tho captain of the vessel might happen to know who the young lady and her mother were; and as he had found, when first coming on board, that the captain havpened to understand’ a little English, the young gen- tleman accosted him and made the inquiry concerning the two young ladies. The cap- tain did happen to have learnt who th were; for the whole transactions with whic the name vf Owen was so painfully associated, had all along sustained a considerable excite- ment in Geneva. e captain therefore was enabled to gratify the young Englishman’s curiosity : and as he himself had already heard much of what related to the unfortunate affairs wherein the name of Owen was mixed up (save and except the deaths of the two sisters u& COMMU OY AOC) cS) CO