The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

— brain—she turned round towards the individual whom she had recognized : bat a sudden disziness came over her—sheeteggered—mechanically ex- tended her arms to clutoh at something that might save her from falling—shd was received im the embrace of Lord Everton! CHAPTER XXXVI. | BEECHUTREE LODGE og Yus—it wasa house belonging to Lord Everton to which Henrietta Leyden had thus been brought : he it was whom she had at once recog: as he issued from the apartment opening into the hall; and in his arms wasit that she was received when consciousness abandoned her. e —— Lot us pause for a fow moments to give soma ne- cessary particulars. The individual. whe n- trapped the young damsel to Beegh-Tree Lodge-— for so ¢be mansion was named—was a confidential person in the service of his lordship. His. name was Bellamy—-Mark Ballamy, as he was generally called by his patron. In certain reapects he was treated with the familiarity of an eqtal, and was ostensibly themaster of the house, as will hereafter be explained—though in reality it was Lord Ever-, ton's, Bellamy was a factotum—the ready instru- ment whereby Everton was enabled to carry out many of his dark unhallowed purposes; and being deep in his lordship'sconfidence, he was largely re- compensed. Though not exactly a gentleman by birth, he had neverthelessrecei veda tolerably good education, and was of manners sufficiently agree- able: in addition to which, he possessed the consum~ mate art of adapting himself to all circumstances and persons, as occasion might require. Having seen much of the world, he possessed a lerge ex- enunenipp *) zeience in all its vices, hypoorisies, aud villanies ¢ ’ the name of Henrietta Leyden, and had | Cnn vitae ed wee Oy ee ee «Geese el. and beneath the mask of a demure sedateness, assisted by a sanctimonious style of apparel, he concealed a disposition of the most heartless kind anda character stained by countless iniquities. Some weeke previously to the time of which we are writing, Lorddverton had mentioned to him him a handsome reward if he,.would’by any pos- sible treachery mahage to inveigle that young girl.| -ta Beeoh-Tree Lodge. Everton was so good a paymaster, and especially so bounteous where the gratification of his-detestable passons was con- corned, that Mark Bellamy bad resolved to eeizean early opportunity of directing his attention tothe | matter. Having made himself acquainted: with Henrietta’s personal appearance, he determined to watch her movements, and bad accordingly ‘pro- ceeded, that very day of which we are: the Op; ta House inthe Haymarket, to glean what- sosvey might be usefal to him in the furtherance of. his design. We have seen how, by a coin the train of circumstances fayo | tale which he overheard Henrietta.tel) the master, at once prise; and he acconiplished his purposes with success. As amatterof course he knew ‘hothing of the Leydens’ benefactor; ,and his elaborate expatiation upon thay gentle nan’s virtyes wers indeed intended as Henrietf{{ had’ surmised, to § THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. and gave vent to her feelings in a of anguish. as she: sprang in wild f ‘would éodner perish than stoop tq dishonour-——”" . “Dighonour indeed wom ee sow: C- Pee: Gag "SS Be aR +o ee 165 engross her attention and divert her thoughts from flowing into channels of suspicion and mis- trust. We may now pursue the thread of our story. When the unhappy girl came to herself, she found that she was reclining upon 2» sofa in that room whose stimptuons interior had caught her eyes when first entering the hall of the mansion. A | middle-aged female, who ‘had evidently been ad- ministering restoratives, was étanding near. Hon- rietta threw a terrified look around, in the ex- tion of observing the detested old nobleman: t it was sonie relief to her distressed feelings to discover that she was alone in that room with the woman standing near her. A ray of pope flashed in upon her. Survly one of bor own sex would not prove inaccessible to her entreaties for release? Inspired by the thought, she looked up into tho woman's countenance to seo if its aspect justified her hope: but this survey was only destined to experience the bitterest dissppointmont. ‘The woman was about six-and-forty years of age; and her fektures which had evidently once been exceedingly handsome, bore the marks of the insatiate passions which had furrowed those linea- ments long before fig hand of time could havg begun to trace deep wrinkleg there. ery to the innocent and inexperienced min®ete.its young maiden, thatgountepance betrayed the evil nature of the woman's heart : it was the scorched, seared, and ruined veil which instead of concealing, af- forded an index to the desecration of the shrino within. Hor hgir wea, streaked’ with ailver, but gave no venerable appearance to the face: on the contrary, it seemed a part of the remains of a beauty which even ia the days of its glory had been fearful {n itself, because associated with pas- sions of the fiercest and most ungovernable na- ture. Her dark eyes still shone with a remnant of their former fires, but subdued to s lurid Jight, and at times burating forth in sinister flashes, like the flame of a voloano seen through the pitchy darkness of a night of storm. Altogether she was a woman who ap utterly incapable of one generous feeling—one holy idea - one tender sympathy: and i¢ was in mingled horror and dos- pair that poor Henrietta Leyden averted her looks sudden burst _ “Now understand nie, my pretty dear,” saidthe ‘womay in a voice which had that loss of harmony ‘almost amounting to"hoarseness which is eo fre- uently the result of a dissipated life on the part of fomales,~-“ it fe not of dhe slightest ugp for you to give waytoany ailly grief. Here'ypu are—and here yu will atop as long as it pleases his lordship : ¢I dare way that before long it will suit yor. weil enough to remain here of your own accord.” * No-—never, never!” ebrieked forth Henrietta, wild frensy from the sofa. “I Dishonour indeed !" echoed the woman, her thin withored lips wreathing in supreme co,mpt ngled with scorn: “have you got that silly a ga ready for use on the tip of ygur tongue ? how you: not that it is more idlo cant to use it ? Dishosour indeed! If there be dishonour at all ‘in the world, it: is only to be found attached to poverty; and it is from poverty that you may be lifted up if you choose. However, we will not talk more upon the subject at present. I dare say os ol eee: oe ~ ._ a a pee Ue Oe ee ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)