The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 261: what you’re looking at

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

ere a a a “A nS ee ee @e««wr -w -~ 260 terest he had previously felt being immenccly en- hanced in a moment. f “ Ah, it is all gono out of my memory again!” she said, shaking her brad dolefully : “you made me start—you drove it away! It is of no nse:”— and with these worda she plunged abruptly into the copse, thus disappearing from the view of the amased Captain and his cqually astonished groom. “There is something extraordinary in this,” snid Stanley to tho domestic: “that woman evi- dently knows something—but the impression of if fs upon ber mind like that of an unusaal object upon the mind of a child—ton dim and uncertain to be properly oxplaine. We will return at once to the Hall and tell Iny father what has taken piace. by luncheon-time; and this is intelligence which ho will bo deeply imteregted to reccive.” Captain Stanley aceoydingly took the nearest route to the Hall, which he reached juet as Myr. Redcliffe was alighting from the Baronet’s carrl which had taken him into Liverpool. Sir wie Stanley, his son, and their guest wore apogiily closeted together; and the interview betwee, the young gentleman and Crazy Jane was the subject of deliberation. “his is indeed most important,” observed Mr. Redcliffe: “fer it is evidently the same subject to which the woman alluded when we met ber at the fonee, and when she said that she head something gee upon her mind.” “Let us go aud see her,” excleifiied the Ba- ronct, “without delay. But nol—Redeliffe, you shall go alone--L have more faith in. your power to lead her into lucid conversation thag'ig wy awn. J have already 80 often failed. Beghdi, if in fre- quently to a stranger that these @ ph ted creatures will prove more rational Saen + ‘one whom they havo known for a long sime, and who have always been accustomed to talk to them in a particular way.” “Yes,” said Mr. Redeliffa, “I will loso no time | J ig lget saw the good Duchess Eliza. I could not tread in eceing her. I think you statyd that her hug about four miles distantP If you indicate the particular direction, I wilf set out aod walk thither.” ° ‘Take the carriago—or go on horsebank,* gx claimed the Baronet. = * No,” rejuned Mr, Redcliffe: “I will walk because in that caso J may stand a better chanve of felling in with her if she be rambling about. Amt L will go alone too, aa she may be the less énebarrassed and bewildered in conversing wit one than in talking in the presence of two or more.” Sir William Stanley gave Mr. Redcliffe sufficient explanations co guide lim towards Crazy Janc’s hut; and that geutleman aceordiugly eet out. He hac. proceeded for a distance of abot three miles acrosé the ficlds, when on emerging imto a lane bordered by high thick hedges, he perceived Crazy . Jane sitting on the green bank under ape of these hedges, roeking hereelf to and fro and epeeking aloud. An idea suddenly entered Mr. Redchiffe’s mind, He remembered that Captain Stanley bad aiated how Crasy Jane bad spoken of having “sacl it all to herself," and how by*an incautious Mr. Redcliffe, too, said ho should be back | a THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. curred to Mr. Redcliffe that whon she was alone she was better able to keep her ideas collected. She had not as yet seen him as he emerged into the lane: he got at the back of the hedgo—and stealthily creeping along, halted close behind the spot whore Crazy Jano was still seated. She was continuing to muse in an audible tone, but in strangely disjointed and broken sontences,—the tenour of which was however as fulluws:— “Tt must ha many and many a year since then —e—-bat FE cannot recollect how many! I was very different at that time———Ah, so different ! People did not opll me Crazy Jane. No, it was ‘Jane my good girl, do this or do that.’—Ab, that was the way may poor dear mistress used to epenk ! Ob, how I loved her! Alas, alas, that it should heve all ended as i¢ did I know ‘not why J should always and alwnys be thinking of it. And yet I can’t help it. Till that other thing came inta my mind, [ never could think of anything elgg. How piteously she wept! sth really egama ne if I saw her now standing before me Yea, whan the mist is deepest around me, F sen that one tiagge as plain as evor. She | T am} was not guilty no, no, sho was not! sure she was not! She was too goul—too kind for that. Oh, what became of you, my dear, dear | mistress ?”’ Orazy Jane ceased: but hor sobs were audible tu Mr. Redcliffe as he listened belind the hedge. ‘Who was more beautiful,” at longth contmucd | the mad woman im her audible musings, * than the Duchess of Marchmont ? hey should have inar- ried her to Bestram Vivian—and not to bis uncle. Ales, qlea! to have thrown that divine creatura | AWAY that old mun it was shocking! Ghocking | Qften and often have I thought uf ing te Qaklands to see the old place ; and [ have vaaned myself for miles and miles——I wonder how many———~-along the roads and through the Helds, until I had not the course to go further— aed thon I have come back tu ny hut. No, no— gould mot look again upon that house where | gaa gravel-walks where 1 once saw her move in tha glory of her beauty! Oh, it wasa dreadtul dey t ut thoge tears which sbe shed then stem fo fall ypon my heart oven now like sending drops. My poor dear mistress, I vould have hud down my life for you |” Here thore was avother pause in the poor mat woman's musings; and again did her convulsive gobs reach tho eara of Clement Redelffe. “What darkaese and confusion pave been in yy brain ever since!” she’ once more muscd audibly. ‘And yet there are times that I sec it alk Lefure me, so plain—so plain—that I think it ig taking place all over and over anow! But this other thing that is now in my mind——Let me reflect! When did it happen? Oh, poor creature , that I am—I cannot remember anything about dates; and yet J am sure it was not near so tar back as those dreadful ecenes at Oaklands ng, not near so far beck! Io was a ycung woman; and they used to sav I was pretty at the tune the dear Duchess and Bertram Vivian ———-But what could have become of them both P” she ejaculated, thus suddenly imterrupting herseif:' “ what, ejaculation he had driven the poor woman's; could have become of them? I wander again !— | thoughts out of her head; and it therefore ov-{ thee is that other thing I wish to get back tw my a ar adie, ees Sets li 7 ue ECONNIC I OOO© 1 ita, 6 shocking ! shockiny! | iE, daft <P — —— ewes 2 oe ees = ee Se eee See eee eer ee we Smee ste ee Ne PF PS afew SOO eee —~ ewe wwe oe Oe — =“ & a i a, an SS