The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

a ee ee, ee ee i prt OOOO 3970 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. - Ty We ger eee oO ee ee | a ews -_ eee el eg a eee over their looks sat this most unexpected and planted against the door, he instantandously fancied ominous proposal: but Isabriia tuyned pale and there was sumething wrong. trombled. Fortunately however ber countenance, “Don’t be alarmed, Mr. Ashton,” said the was not at the instant towards her uncle; and he: vdlet: “I am here to befriend you. You must perceived not her emotion. But the Countess did | mot enter the garden this evening: Lord Os notice it; and basteniny to assist Isabella with ' mond bade me come hither to warn you against her shawl, she whispered rapidly, “Tear nothing! it.” Adolphus will make everything right.” | “For heaven’s sake tell me,” exclaimed Chris- The Earl gave his arm to the Countess, while: tian, “whether anything * and then he Lord Osmond escorted his cousin Isabella. They | abruptly stopped short, fearing lest the valet was descended the stairs and reached the ball,—Adol- | acting as the Earl's apy. phus the while racking hia brain for some pretext | “Do not be afrrid of me, Mr. Ashton,” con. to epenk aside to Makepeace. As fortune would tinued Makepeace: ‘I am secretiy disposed in have it, Makepeace himself waa at the instant your favour. The best proof is that it wus | who crossing the hall, with » chamber-candlo in bis procured the duplicate key for you, aud left it hand. | with Lord Osmond’s note at your lodgings yester- “With your permission, Bella,” said Lord‘ day. Ican full well understand the reason you Osmond, “I will emoke a cigar in the garden. (are not to enter the grounds this evening: it is Tlere, Makepeace! give me a light.” | simply because the JSarl has taken it into his head The valet stopped short accordingly: Adolphus | to join the party in their walk.” approached him; and while stoopmg towards the: “Thank you for this assurance!” replied Chris- candle, he said in a low rapid whisper, “ Hasten | tian, his mind now infinitely reheved: fur his first round and provent young Ashton from entering ‘and very natural misgiving was that Isabella might by the gate this ovening.” have become involved in fresh trouble on his ac- Tho cigar was lighted Adolphus gave Isabella count. his arm again—and tho party issued forth, The! He then bade Makepeace “ good night,” and Earl was determined that Adolphus and Ieubella returned to his lodying,—much disapporated hows should not wander away from bimeclf and the : ever at not being enabled to meet Isabelia. Make- Countess; and therefore, on entering the garden, peace hastily re-entered the grounds, and at once he kopt his son in continued conversation. But proceeded tu tho spot just imside the garden-gate Lord Osmond had really no intention of straying: where he had heard the footsteps, the muttered ho had provided against the entrance of Christian ejaculations, and the grating metallic seunds, Aahton—aud that was the only thing he cared for,' which had so much perplexed him. At first, he He fancied that there must be some suspicion in , could see nothing: but a closer scrutiny showed his father’s mind: but what its procise nature | hima man-trap, with its tecthed jaws wile apart, was, he could not conjecture. As for the Earl, | rendy to reccive and to close upon any unfortunate he was naturally led to imagine thas this repetition | leg that might step between. Indeed the valet's of tho evening walk wight be in connexion with | own Jeg experienced but a narrow escape from an expected visit from Christian; and that, after, being caught therein, as he was searching about all, Adolphus was really favouring the discarded | upon the spot. secretary's suit towards Mies Vineent. The Earl; “ This is extraordinary!” thought Makepeace howover chatted gaily, as if there wore nothing to | to himself: but his knowledge of the Earl's charac- dieturb his humour,— and all the more gaily, too, ter speedily made hima aware that it was a device because he inwardly chuckled at the hope of’ of that nobleman’s fertile brain. “It 18 pretty wreaking a speedy vengeance on the presumptuous ' clear that the old man suspects or knows some- youth who dared aspre to the hand of hia niece ; thing: but bow the deuce could it have come to and stealthily tmutrude upon his grounds. his knowledge? At all events J am not sus. Meantimo, Makepeace, in pursuanc> of Lord | peoted: for his lordship was os kind to me to-day Osmhoud’s hint, had igued from the principal! asever—and J know the old bird tuo well to be entrance of the grounds; and rapidly skirting the | deceived by such kindness if it were not perfectly wall he reached the private door, agains: which ! natural. The cunning dog :—be thought he would. ho planted himself to await the coming of Christian | keep this entirely to himself. Ho expects to Ashton. While standing there, he caught (ho catch young Ashton; and he will come here pre- sounds of heavy footsteps moving about just inside’ sently to see whether his victim is fast in the the garden door: thon ho beard a strange grating | trap.” noise, as of some irun mechanism being acted! Makepeace was strolling away from tho gate, upon; and this was followed by a sharp click— : when a mischievous idea struck him. ° while a voice just audible to the valet’s cars, mut-; “ Wouldn't he be astonished,” thought the valet tered, “ Botheration take this cursed thing! Ab,' to himecli, “if be came and fuund no teap at all? that’s right at Inst!” ' fo wonld faney that Christian had been caught, This latter ejaculation was accompanied by ; and had climbed over the wall, dragging the trap another grating motalle noise; and then the foot. | with him, Capital! DU hide it?” steps moved away from the neighbourhoad of the | Sv Makepeace, carefully lifting the machine m door, Tho words were spoken m 90 low a tone-— | such 8 way as to avoid gotting his arme between being merely in a Musing strat to the man’s own Jts gaping jaws, carried the trap to sense httid actf—that Makepeacy: tom not YeOORNIO who he distunee, and deposited it Amun gst & froup of was; and he was totaliy at a loss to comprehend ‘ shrubs,—having done which he re-entered tho what the prooreding nwant. THe had not howercr mansion. ; much time for reflection ere our veung hero made’ [n the meanwhile the Earl of Laseciies and his his appearanee; snd on vvholimge Makepeace | wife, Adolphus and Isabella, bad been rambling = ed ee pre A ny, A ITO, ~—_ —~ > a GQ Gia ee ee on eae A i A ee ee ae EE ee ee eee ee ee oo ee Es a elie we Rn Age ye ES > ES Tees 6 omg yg tae, tine ee ee ew ee en oe eee eee eee eee = -@&_. .. T. = = ——sa = SEL ge ems = == eee ee ee | | | COMME HOO®