The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 320: what you’re looking at

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

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Oye eee eee) oe eee ele a THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. pe eee ween nee = Possible?” Schoed Deveril. “I wil! give ; you Proofs incontestible that tho allegations, of Lady Saxondale involved a «lotestable calumny.’ “And those proofs?” said Florina, her looks proving how deeply she baped that he might be . enabled tu fulfil his words. : eee Bee we Ss ee epes: > Oe a 307 wpm 6 ee heeekem 18008 8! oe" ee aed oe eRe Cd et ee _—_ - dente i i, connexion with the masquerade, which are already known to the reader—how Lady Suxondale went thither in a particular dress tu keep a pro- Viously given appointment with Lord Harold Slauuton—how she had cnlisted him in her service to provuke an enemy of her’s to wu duel, in which “They are hero!” he at once responded, drawing that enemy was to be slain—how Staunton had a document from his pockot. “ Kaow you notthat ngxt morning received the note containing the naine look surprised! But of course she would not te you this. that woman—” ‘Ihave threatencd Ladp Saxondalo with an action ' of Williaus Deveril—how he had provoke 4 Deveril at Jaw for the defamation of my charactor? . Yow to the duel—how Lady Saxondale hail subss.juently repudiated the whole procueding, isnoring every Ah! if*you knew all the wickedness of detail—but how through Edmund's agency the masquerade dress which she had worn was disin- “You will admit, .Mr. Deveril,” interrupted terred from the plate-choat in hor private apart- Florina, “that as 1 am now receiving the hospitality ments. of Lady Saxondale, it ill becumes mo to listen to. any aspersions that may be thrown out against her the thoughts, and an augmenting confusion iu all without sduquate proof.” “Ah! you saw that I hesitated to place this | It was with a swimming of tho brain, a whirl uf her ideas, that Flurina perused this document. [t | was, tou, with akind of mochunical power that she document in your hands!” he exclaimed, stiff %e- ' read on to the end; and it wasalso with a mechuni- taining the paper: and he *looked cruelly> bewil- dered. hesitation, “and read it if you will—but I warn you before band, that you will behold therein some- thing that will shock you in woppert to one who is nearly and closely connected with you.” ‘“ Heavens! what do you mean?” cried Figrina. “You frighten m& Tv whorn do you allude?” “ Must Lindeed tcll-you? Yes, yos: I see that I must. any sacrifice ! soracthing terriblo—— “Oh! what uew misfortune is in storo for fe b murmured the poor girl, sinking back upon/ tho scat whence she had riscn. ‘“ Of whom is it that I am to bear such dread intelligence 7s : “Of your brother—of Lérd Harold Staanton.” “My brother!” ga 2 “Yes. It was by the crucl and artful—ayo, the sutanic instigation of Lady Saxondale, that he pro- voked mo to that ducl——” “William, if this be true,” cridd Florina, bursting into tears, “how immense is the reparation whieh you ought to receive from me!” “It is true—it is, alas, too true’ responded “That kind-hearted and benevolent gen- Deveril. tleman, Mr. Gunthorpe, has succeeded in unravel- ling the whole skein of treacdery. But by heaven, Florina, I entertain as littlo ill-will against your br. ther es it is possibld fur man to experience after such wrongs a8 mine! For geur sake.do I forgive him—for your sako will I clasn him by the hand ——yes, and throw the voil of oblivion aver what | be has done! It must have been. under the in- fluence of an infatuation against.which he could not wrestle, that he consented to -becomie the instru- tment of that woman’s vengeance. She sought my life—she wished me remoyed from her path--and she found in your brother a too réAdy agent!’ “ But these accusations aro tery, Mr. Deveril!” exclaimed Florina, cruelly bewilde “ Read this!” she said, now placing ‘the document in her hands. “It is the statement of an im- portant witness who will appear againyt Lady Saxorrdale, should she push matters to extremes and drive me into the law-courts.” Hlorina mechanically took the papor—opened it e-and commenced reading. 14 r all the inci- I cannot bear your suspicions any longer. -~—I must clear up my own chatacter at any risk—at Florina, prepare yourself to hear cal tenacity that she keld itin ber hands. We my | she kept. er eyes upon w ducument whith cuntainad facte ev damnatory to hor own brother! Deveril ‘watched her with the profoundest commiseration, =e eee 8 ee... .. eee ee Wier ees ee “ake it,” he said after a few. moments | add that it was with an unaccountablo fascination — Ob ! it went tu his heart’s core to wound her gentle bosum thus: and there wus a moment when ho lvlt inclined to snatch the paper from her hands and bid her read no mure. But it was the only means of vindicating himself’; and painful as the procetd- ing was, be dared not arrest it. * You may doefn me cruel—even implac ablo, Lady Florina Staunton,” ho said, when he vbserved that sho had finished, “in cubuitting this dreadful history to your notice: but what alternative bad L? ‘When last, I saw you, it was on the sniac eveniag that your bruther provoked me to the ducl: you would not hear mo—you retreated from the baleuny in angor—and I felt that [C was condemned un- justly.” * Ah. Mr. Deveril !” said Mlurina, tho tears streiu- ing down her cheeks: “yuu have indecd much case to reprogch my brother--and it is but too clear that Lady Saxondalo is an infamous woman— that her tale against you was un odious culumny-- and that she would not have stopped short even at. the instigation of a murder to wreak her revenyze! But, alas, I dare not say that I ean give you back that love-—-that confidencea—— “Lady Florina staynton,” interrupted Deveril in a firm and dignified manoer—while his tall slen- ‘der form, modelled with su much Apollu-likg grace and elogance, was drawn up to its full lieight, and bis short upper lip expressed tho hauteur of’ uf- fended pride’: :f* havo the goodness to recullect that at the very outset of this interviow, I said that on whateoever terms we migh) part, [ could not f iil to bear away your good opinion. You honoured me— you flattered me—you made me happy, with an avowal of your love some short time back; and L believed that it was sincerc. -\ talc of calumny - naturally exvited you against mo. 1 have now vin- siicated myself—and your good vpision must be ro- “stored. But if, during the interval which has elapsed since you avowed your love and accepted tho avowal of mine, you have ropeated of what porhaps after all was only » momentary woukness on your part—if, as I presume, the high-born Lady Florina Staunton in Ler caluer moments has shrunk w eS a a Ses ake 6 ee oe —~« ; LOAO© SS (CO)