The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 381: what you’re looking at

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

: . THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 368 torrupted Marston. “ Here: take and read this document !” As he thus spoke, the Baronet spread open the Dover newspaper before Mr. Gunthorpe; and tho ‘old gentleman began to read the column pointed out tohim. Gradually did a strange excitement come over him: he grew pale as death—subdued ejacu- lations oscaped his lips—his agitation was extreme. Sir John Marston threw a significant look at Lord Petersfield —~a look in which a sardonic triumph was blended with a conviction of their own safety. Mr. Gunthorpe finished reading the report—drew ls hand across his brow, as if with a pang of in- effable mnental aguny—andethen looked at the paper again. He longed to start up in ‘a fury and de- nounce the wholo affair as a fraud or a delusion: he longed to proclaim his conviction that the Mirs. Chandos of Dover was not the Elizabeth in ‘whom he was interested, and a different being ‘irom Mrs. Chandos the highwaywoman. But when he re- flacted that from Henrictta’ lips he had heard‘how Elizabeth had appeared in male attire when she rescued that young girl frum Beech-Tree Lodge, he was staggcred—he was confounded. And the de® scription, tov, which Marlow had given before the Dover magistrate of the female highwayman, tallied sv completely with the portrait which the nows- papor report drew of the Mrs. Chandos who ap- peared as a prisoner on thie occasion, that it was impossible to doubt! Evon the extraordinary nature of the ovidence given at that investigation before the Mayor of Dover, though to all appearance establishing an alibi, could not possibly prove satis- factory to a man of Ms. Gunthorpo’s shrewdness and intelligence. Alas, yes! he could come to no othor conclusion than the ono fatal to the character uf Klizabeth Paton. And this idea was sadly and terribly confirmed, when he recalled to mind her own words, uttered to him ere now—that although as & woman she was pure and chaste, yet that her life had not been free from faults. The poor old gentleman was overwhelmed—almost gnuihilated ; and after remaining in utter consternation and dismay for a few minutes, he gave vent to his grief In tears. =. “That will be a shocking account,” observed Sir Jobn Marston, with an ill-subdued malignity, “ for you to forward to that nobleman whose friend and confidant you are.” . Villain!” ejaculated Mr. G@unthorpe, suddenly dashing qaway ¢.o tears from his eyes and turning his indignant looks upon the Baronet: “all this must be your work—and yours also, my lord! Jad you | both performed your duty towardé# that young | woman, she never could have been forced into such ways as these. But there shall be vengeance and punishment for your iniqufties !” Thus speaking, Mr. Gunthorpo sprang up from his seat, and was hurnedly quitting the room—when Sir John Marston called out, “Stop! you had better do nothing rash! Remember, the hondur of Lady Everton may be at atake |” Mr. Gunthorpe was struck by the circumstance thus announced, and which for the mpment he had forgotten. He did therefore stop short; and re- turning to the-chair he had so abruptly left, sat | down and reflected for upwards of a minute. “TI find,” he eaid at length, “ that I have to deal | Cnt a em we 2-4 2 a ere, fay ooh es ES © EE Se YecaS ey with villains of no ordinary stamp. Ydés—you are wight, Sir John Marston: there can be no exposure —no vengeance. But rest assured that punishment of another kind will overtake both yourself and your accomplice, Lord Petersfigld. Your conscience, Sir John Marston—and your's likewise, my lord,’ will not suffer you to remain for ever indifferent to : this signal iniquity which you havo porpetrated. I feave you therefore to the enjoyment of your ill- gotten gains—to the pangs of remorse which sooner or later will inevitably overtake you! I leave you to all the consequences of a guilt which heaven cannot éuffer to go unpunished.” . Having thus spoken in accents of a withering bitterness, Mr. Gunthorpe roso‘from his seat and quitted the room. “There! you seo bow splendidly I have managcd it!” exclaimed Sir John Marston, tho momont the door closed behind the‘old gentleman. “We are safee-Wo are safe. I feel more at_case than I have done for a long, long timp past.” Lord Petersficld, now beginning to breathe freely, remarked, “ ¥es—the affair lias indeed taken a turn which I had little anticipated.” ‘ “The idea struck me all in a moment,” observed Sir John, “asI listened at that door. I can’t tell how it was—but if occurred to me, somchow or another, that tho yisit of this Mr. Gunthorpo was connected with the business we had boon talking on. I suppose it was bocause tHat business was uppermost in my thoughts at the time. However, such was my impression: and it induced me to listen. Thus you see, Putorsfield, that while you, With all your diplomatic astuteness, would have suf- fered yourself to be crushed down to the dust by that old bully, I got rid of him by riding tho high horae and taking the matter with an air of hardi- hood and efrontery.”’ “It is imdeed fortunate,” observed Petersfield, “that we fiave got rid of this unpldasant affair .so easily. But think you we shall hear no more of it P” “Iam confident we shail. not,” ropliod Marston. “TI will stake my exiténfo upon it. This Gun- thorpe is evidontly deep in a certain nobleman’s seerets. Did you seo how he was affected? That was at the idea of having to shock his friend—this certain nobleman,” added Marston malignantly— “with an account of Elisabeth's ways of life. And then too, there is the necessity of saving Lady Everton's name from exposure and disgraca-—which is another safeguard for us. Had the matter rested alone with Elizabeth and Frank, we might not have got out of if so comfortably. But as it is, we aro safe, and need¢rouble ourselves no more upon the matter. I shall even go to Robson and toll him that fur the future he need not pay the quarterly allow- ance to Elizabeth. It will be four hundred a-year in my pocket; and thus altogethor my visit to Lon- don has terminated most? fortunately instead of inauspicuously.” “ But who is this Mr. Gunthorpe, think you?” asked Lord Petersficld. ‘No matter who he is,” rejoined Marston: “he his ceased to become an object of terror for us.” With tHfese words the Baronet took his leave of the nobleman, and quitted the house in high {lee and joyous triumph at the result of the whole ad- venture. EPS pee @c. '—O8@. @ es Sees oe: oe _ @e6s a oo TC af I SSS = SS Pe SS Sf SS i eG <a SDE, Ws Ee a eee ee le ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)