The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 291: what you’re looking at

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

—_ ee Oe ee Ee i De ae as EE ARS ee CA gt cet « gavage ferocity. (Graeme, ATi, = ae oer wR pee eee yee A A TL ETC CS eI OA eg phe THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 280 sable garments which she wore, together with the snowy white cap of widowhood, made her look more ghost-like atill. We have already said that Adolphus was changed likewise; and his mourning garb threw out in ghastlier relief the pallor of bis own countenance. Ethel was in that drawing-room first; and she was half reclining on the sofa when Adolphus— now Ear] of Lascelles—slowly opened the door and made his appearance. Strango indeed was the look which these two beings threw upon each other; and these looks were precisely similar in their expression, It was with mingled horror, aversion, and reproach that Ethel looked upon Adolphus: it was with mingled horror, aversion, ang reproach that Adolphus looked upon Ethel. But the next instant the aspect of each coun- tenance changed: Ethel looked with surprise upon Adolphus, as if she had expected another species of gaze on his part—and Adolphus luoked with surprise on Ethel, as if her own gase had equally astonished him. He walked alowly up to hor; and fixing his eyes upon her, said in a low deep voice, “Ethel, you have sold your soul to Satan on my account !” “What, Adolphus!” she exclaimed: “is it pos- sible that you dare hurl the terrific weight of your own crime upon me?” ~ “Ethel,” quickly rejoined Adolphus, “this is outragcous—this is horrible !” “ Adolphus,” retorted the Countess, “this is playing the part of unbeard-of villany, to impute your orime ty me!” “ Guod God!” murmurod the Earl of Lascelles, ataggering back as he pressed bis haud to his brow: “do T hear aright P or am I dreaming ?”’ “Adolphus,” said Ethel, “of what use is this shocking hypocrisy on your part? Methought when you first entered the room that your looks would quail in my presence ” * Woman, this is intulerable!” interrupted Adol- phus, fiercely grasping Ethel’s arm. “It was I who thought that you would not dare look me in the face |” “Unhand me, murderer!” cried the Countess, recoiliny as if with a strong-shudder from his touch. ‘.Murderess!’ literally growled Adolphus with ** Beautiful as you once were, you © are now loathsome to my oyes !” “ Monster!’ retorted Ethel, with keenest bit- terness: “you are horriblo as a fiend m my sight !” ‘There was nearly a minute’s silence,—during which those two beings gaged upon each other, with the strongest feelings of horror, aversion, and loathing exprossed in their countenances. Their eyes appearcd to burn: yet they did not shoot forth fitful glances—it was with a steady fire shining from the eyes of ono towards the eyes of the other, transfusing mutual abhorrence! Yet neither scomed to dare avert those eyes from the other, lest it should bo thought there was quailing and cowardice: for whatever the truth might be, very certain 1¢ was that Adolphus chose to affix the crime upon Etiwi, while Ethel seemed equally resolute in affixing it upon Adolphus. “You dare stand before me thus?” said the Countess, at length breaking silence: “you dare meet my regards thus steadily, when your own heart tolls you that you are @ murderer ?” = OEE bee Re -Re ws Eh NS A RS OND are fay abu ten wu _-—-—_- Fo here, we we 2past rw ‘phus. SMEs ee, FG; a ree r= ee “And you, Ethel,” retorted the Earl ef Las- celles, “exhibit such a spectacle of brazen female hardihood that fills me with even more astonish- ment than your capability of committing the crime itself—for your conscience al] the while 1s whisper- ing that you are a murderess |” “Oh!” exclaimed Ethel, quivering visibly from head to foot, “that there should be such a power of hypocrisy in man. What earthly purpose does it serve you to deny your crime in my presence, when you know that, considering all the past, 1 dare not betray you P” “Come, Ethel,” responded Adolphus, “at least let this ecene of hideous mockery terminate. Con- feas your guilt: for you likewise know that I dare not betray you I” “'Wretch ! coward—thus to treat a woman!” cried Ethel. “Ab! but if that woman, being a murderess,” retorted Adolphus, “ brings it all upon herself!” “ ‘You are driving me to madnegs!”’ exclaimed the Countess, stamping her foot upon the flucr. “Does not all evidence brand you with the guilt of this stupendous crime? Wore not your part. ing words to me, on the day preceding the night of that crime, that sooner than marry Isabella you would do the very worst ?” “Ab! but you, Ethol, echoed those words!” retorted Adolphus; “and you declared that sooner than see me lead [Isabella to the altar, you would do the very worst! Methought at the time you alluded to suicide “And I did!” ejaculated Ethel, veliomently ‘* But I, on my part, thought at the time that you meant to dare my husband’s anger and vengeance even to the uttermost ‘‘And I did mean all that!” exclaimed Adol- “TIT moant that syoner than wed Isabella after all you had said, I would flee away to the Continent and let the Earl expose—repudiate— diacard me if he thought ft. Yes—that was my meaning! But your’s, Kthel, was very, very dif- ferent!” “ No, Adolphus—as God is my judge,” cried the Countess, passionately, ‘* I swear---—" “ Kor heaven’s sake add not perjury and blas- phemy,” interrupted Adolphus, with an air of horror and affright, “to the other stupendous crimo! For it is 1 who swear—I who take God to witness ” “No, no!” almost shrieked forth Ethel: “ be- come not a perjurer! become not a blasphe- mer!” It was now the Earl of Lascelles who stamped his foot with rage; and he began pacing the room like a lion chafing in his den: while Ethel took shorter but not less agitated walks to and fro on tho hearth-rug. ° “ Adolphus,” she at length said, abruptly stope ping him, and looking fixedly upon his counte- nance, “‘ you seem to have forgotten that you told me the tale of that interview with the Earl, when he revealed to you that you were not his son. Qh, bu not thus obstinate! Remain silent, if you will : but do not—do not persevere in a course as dread- ful as it is dastard!———do not, by attributing the crime to me, for an instant entertain the hope that you can make me think it was not your hund which really perpetrated it! Had you not every motive P Were you not trembling at the idea of ——_— ee ee ee, i ee re we ne ee eee ee SS