The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 207: what you’re looking at

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196 motest hint to the effect that he would be gratified to receive a visit from herself and her husband: it did not even 80 much as intimate that if circum- stances should bring them near Liverpool, he hoped they would coal! upon bim:—but thie formal and purely business-like communication wound up by the announcement that when the young lady should reach the period of her. rnajority, she must present herself to him in order to sign the necessary releases and receive the amount of her little for- | tune. Happily enough passed away the two years of Louisa’s wedded life limited !—and as is often the case in this world, the dream of felicity which is soonest to be dissi- ated is the brightest and most beautiful while it “Toate Mr, Rayner was drowned in as boating. excursion at some French seaport where they were staying at the time; and thus, with a cruel and terrible abr the unfortunate Louisa found herself a widow. When the roseate atmoephere in which the soul has been for a period accustomed to éxist, is thue suddenly changed into a worse than Egyptian darkness, it appears to the sufferer as if this black obscurity would be eternal —and that the mind, paralysed by dread consternation and crushed by overwhelming grief, could never by ite own energies accomplish an issue thence. But there is no misfortune so terrible that the sense it produces will not gradually pass into a phase of resignation; and then from resignation there is a natural transition to that improved and healthier state of feeling in which the mind begins to dis- cover that the world may yet have sources of hap- pineas left for ita experience. Two years had clapsed since the death of Mr. Rayner; and Louies had put off her widow’s-weeus about « fortnight before the date on which we find her travelling in the society of Lettice Rodney. By a somewhat singular coincidence, tov, she attained her majority on the very day when the period of her mourning expired. The reader may now easily surmise for what purpose she was bound to Liverpool :--it was to call upon her guardian Anthony Pollard, the miserly old lawyer, aud re- ecive from him the amount of her fortune. Such was the narrative which Dettioe Roduey learnt from Mire. Rayner’s lips; and the young woman could not help secretly wishing that she herself was on her way to receive three thousand pounds, instead of to carry out the deeply devised plot in respect to Eveleen Q' Brien. ‘* Your tale, Mra. Rayner, has deeply interested me,” eaid Lettice, ‘“ But do you not tremble at the thought of appearing in the presence of such 5 hard stern man as your guardian Mr. Pollard seems to be P” “J oan assure you, Miss Rodney,” replied the handsome widow, “that I experience ao such tre- pidation. It is true that fall ten yeare have now elapsed since I last beheld him: but my memory has faithfully retained the impression which Mr. Pollard made upon me at the time, during the few weeks I was beneath his roof. He is a man of the fewest possible words; and I am confident that he will not seek to engage me in any unnecessary dis- course. He will not speak of the pgst more than is absolutely requisite to the settlement of the business which is to bring us in contact. I thero- fore entertain no apprehension that he will in any — en a SP eae waters : for to two years was it) aa eu Bh — * ma i» elias anneal THE MYSTERINE OF THE COURT. way revive the poignancy of my feelings on aoc- count of the cruel and irreparable loss which I have sustained. Indeed, 80 far as I can exercise my judgment on the subject, I have every rea- eon to believe that our interview will prove a brief one, and that within an hour from the moment of our meeting the business will be settled.” “T am traly glad,” observed Lettice, “to receive the assurance that you anticipate no manifestation of ill-fesling on Mr. Pollard’s part. Although we have known each other but a few short hours, I feel an interest in all that concerns you.” “And this interest, Miss Rodney, is recipro- cated,” rejoined Mra, Rayner. The discourse continued awhile in a similar strain: but the reader will searcely require to be informed that while Lettice expressed a feeling of interest more for the sake of enying something than because she really experienced it, and also for the purpose of making her companion believe that she was a very right-minded young Iady,— Mra. Rayner’s assurances of kindly sympathies were, on the other hand, perfectly genuine and sincere. As the discourse continued, Mrs. Rayner was naturally led on to minuter details in respect to the past incidents of her life; and as Lettice could no¢ bear to be silent or unoccupied—and moreover, Inasmuch as she was endowed with no amall share of true feminine curiosity—she, by her interjected observations, as well as by her questions, encouraged her companion to as much communicativeness as she chose to demonstrate. T'nus did the hours pass away, while the train was pursuing its course of almost marvellous rapidity ; and the two ladies mutually congratulated them. selves that they should thus have been thrown together. It was at some point—no matter precisely which—-between Birmingham and Manchester, that the conversation was all in an instant cut short, as if a thundorbolt had come crashing through the roof of the carriage. As Lattice Rodney subsequently described the occurrence, she was for a moment—and only for that single mo- ment—sensitive to an abrupt shock: it was quick as the eye can wink—and the next instant consciousness abandoned her. As she slowly came back to her aenses, ahe became aware that she was lying on the slope of an embankment, and that some gentleman, of middle-age, was bending over her, and ministering restoratives. It appeared to her like a dream: she closed her eyes as if to shut out all external objects, the better to concentrate her mental vision inwardly, and thus arrive at geome comprehending ef what it was that she thought and felt. There waa a dull heavy sound- ing in the brain—a sense of numbness over all the faculties—a blending of unceftaintg and vague consternation in the mind. Again she opened her eyes—but only to receive additional confirmation‘ of the awful suspicion which, hitherto dim, inde- finite, and clouded, had hung in her brain. Tho, gentleman spoke a few kind words of mingled en.ouragement and inquiry ; and these still farther- served to stamp the horrible conviction in the soul of Lettice that what sho had fancied and ap- prehended was no dream, but all a too hideous reality. Ina word, an accident had happened to the train ;—several of the carriages, being thrown off the line, were literally dashed to atoms; and ww c-—Ww be ded —— ere ries oo ieee _— » ee ne ee eee, ca ERAS es yt Ss Cd - 2 eee Se ee ee ee ee eee ee ed —_——— <2 — SS ELOOO©