The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 367: what you’re looking at

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

“or which she invoked the dagger ag an tt ive 354 © ae ee woman, clasping her hands appealingly, and casting her shuddering looks around, “do not allude to it. Taw very walls have ears. Oh, my dear Dr. Ferney !‘ did you not assure mé but a short time back, at your house, that iy eeeret was snoretT that it wae iny own mystery, into which you wauld never seek to penetrateP I bescecli and: implore that you will not fly from your word!” “ But what am I to do in this present chee P Let us think mo more of the past for tho siren IIere, Lady Saxondale, has @ fol siurde pon my knowledge. It is a tiurder porperies : menns of a venom which I meat incoye 5 od; , 1 also am made tho war vet the aw "it baa produced. The finger of God ts in i it is heaven itself which is prong mo on. “l bring ustice the per " $hat. crime! "What J I agk, an Tig a | ‘ i ete committed under your roof should attribute i¢ to yout. ‘we - sible! If you then he guilllexs, y me in fixing upon the ¢ “Oh, but all this is imoap df Lady Saxondale, still vith ¢t sed fi appealing looks—still with fiie in ove lincament of her pale countenanes. “If an ex: posure be made, mugt I not conten thet I purloined the phial of poison from your hot What will be thought of me? J shill be ruinad! A lady who visite a single man atealthily—who j is | piled by him into all the mysteries of his labo fitc } Dr. Forney have mercy upon me-- to have mercy upon me!—or else take plunge it into this bosom !” ‘ . Lady Saxondale did not throw herself upon he knevs as she thus spoke: but her anguishi «as tri unfceigned—her inquietude was too great. not render her affliction genuine. As she sat by the physician’s side upon the sofa, she leant tomate hin with an agony of appeal in her looke, her agtl- tude, and her gestures; and as she gave pa to the closing words of her well nigh frengia she pressed her hands convulsively to thi father than an exposure. “Ong my God! what am I to dof’ marmhufed the physician: and half-averting his dountengnce, he raised one hand to his pale forehead. “ What am I to do?” ‘““ What are you to do?” cricd Lady Saxondale. “ Bury the subject in oblivion ' resp onded Ferney, | i th 6 look of he “I cannot—I dare not,” “If I oonoedl iy knowledge shaking his hetid solemnly, but # deepest affliction. , of this crime, I become as i¢ were an accossqry to | it: and how shall I ever satisfy my own conscienost | 6 But tell me, Lady: Saxondale, do your syspicions fall upon any one in yoyr household? Reflect— consider—to whom did yoy éver inipart the secret of that subtle poison? ‘Yoii suds have spoken of it to somo onc: tell me who ié was! fot the voice ‘of that murdered women cries up tq heaven vengeance; and heaven itself has marked me Fi instrument in’ briuging the mytderer » ustiae. Nay, more—does it not almost é there were retribution in all this P—aa t "tk had pene- trated too.deeply into the mysteries of nature—bad forth unholy secrete—had tasted of the forbidden tree of knowledge—and am now. ‘vu be }| tly vnsullied THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. | punished for my fault? For think yqu not, Lady Saxondale, that it will be a cruel ordeal for mo to proclaim alk this to tho knowledge of justice and involve yous name in the transaction ?” es rca | eaid her ladyship, now suddenly bled her Heo vi him through the medium of that love of ae ts knew herself to be the object,— “TI believe you once entertained eumething like a feeling of friondship. towards Ime — perhaps more than triendship——~ * Yes, yos: it was ingro—it é é¢ more!” interrupted {| the physicians “ for the sontim@at is’ dceathiess ! + | Need tell you that from the first mnoment'T bebeld you ak yoy mother’s house nincteen years ago, your iat line never been absdnt from my mind? You t—jyou know, it, I gave you that assurance Kb other dey, w when you visited my house: and it thie truth—9s I repent it again this evening! But it a duty, Lady Baxondale, which I have to ata per orm; and. though my own Heart should break in accomplishing | that afity—though it should crush ine dowa with derrow into the dust to drag your ith | name before the tribunals of the country—yet what alternative have 1? Alas! that duty must be per- fornied{ Tell. me therefore—on whom must our stignicions settle theragelves ?” “Dr, #erney,” aaid ber ladyship, “do not tell mo that you ever entertained the slightest love for me. No, no—it is imipossible—you cpuld not! If you ce yu would not torment’me thus now. Good { da you not compro end the immensity of the i you will work &” ie I see but two things ¥ filoh oan tell against-you,” the doctor. he first is that you visited e house, Surele the piltity of your own life, and sett tion, will combine tv disarm scandal in that redpect? . And after all, may not a ledy visit h physigiin? Then, as. for your taking the phisl-the desd at be well oxplainod as arising from the curiosity of hb thonfent. It isnot a watch —nor a purse—noraé jewel—nor anything valuable ; and Lady Saxondale need not fear the positive im- putation of dishonesty ga fhat account.” ‘« Nevertheless, 1 conjure you, my dear Dr. Fer- ney, not to urge this matter. Yes—1l entroat, I implore you,” continued Lady Saxondale, in avcents of the most earnest pleading, “ not to bring it before the world!” “Oh! what would you have me think ?” exclaimed hysician, suddenly fastening looks of mingled (Ghd uncertainty upon Lady Saxondab. “ No, . i¢ not such a terriblo suspicion to remain in iny ag ae or your own sake, therefore, lose not a metit in furnishing the clue to the unravelment of this mystery” But that suspicion which has struck you,’ " waid her‘ladyship, aghast and trembling. ‘6 Jt ia a hideous one—and every moment does it become stronger,” rejoined, Ferney. “ Indeed, there ie an excitement in my mind such as for years I huve nut experianced. Would to heaven that all this had not occurred.” ‘Dr. Ferney,” said her ladyship, in ‘tones that were now really hollow and sepulvhral—not to her own car alone, but to that of the physician,—“ you are dragging the on toa revelation which I shudder to contemplate.’ “Oh! thea my suspicion is confirmed,” mure her préictermination to assert. aN ee eS LOAO© SS (CO)