The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

Sree vantage. Her raven hair hung in heavy tresses, with a sort of studied negligence, upon her ad- toirably sloping shoulders; and there -was some- thing majestic and stately in the carriage of her fine tall form, as well as resolute and determined in the gestures with which she gave impressive- ness to her discourse. Christian was too far off to catch @ syllable that was seid, or even to hear the tones of their voices: but he had a keen power of vieion—and thie enabled him to discern that their conversation was of an earnest character, That it related to Laura, be had no doubt; and that it boded naught favourable to her happiness, he was equally certain. For upwards of half-an-hour did the old Baronet and Mra. Oxenden walk to and fro upon the lawn, thus giscoursing. At the expiration of that in- terval the lady left the old man, and re-entered the dwelling. Sir John remained in the garden ; and every pow and then he rubbed his hands to- gether, as if with » gloating satisfaction at some idea that was uppermost in his mind. In about twenty minutes two females issued from the man- sion: one was immediately recognised by Christian to be the beautiful Laura—the other was a horrible-louking negress with great thick lips and a most repulsive aspect. The young lady was epparelled in a morning dress; but she had on her bonnet, as if she wore going for a walk. This however might merely be on account of the heat of the sun: for it was now past noon, and ite beame poured down with sultry strength. The in- stant she caught a glimpse of Sir John Steward, she abrank back; but tho horrible-looking negresa seized her roughly by the arm, and appeared to atidreas her in threatening language. Such was out hero's indignation, that he was about to spring down from the tree, scale the garden wall, and bound forward to her assistance, —~ when he waa euddenly struck by the rashtiess and folly of such & proceeding, inasmuch as he would be placing himself in a false position by an illegal troepass upon the Baronct’s grounds. It was however difli- cult for him to exercise a sufficient degreo of patience to keep him there as a mere beholder, in the midst of the dense foliage of that tree. The negresq, we have said, caught the young dady dy the arm, and appeared to use threatening ‘language towards hey—whoreat she seemed smitten with dismay; and she suffered the black woman to lead her along towards tho Baronet, who was ap- proaching across the grass-plat with bis shuffling, shambling gait. Hoe said something to her: Laura averted ber countenance as if in mingled anguish and aversion— Sir John went on speaking—she slowly turned her eyes upon him agaiu—she liatened with a deepening attention—and then Chriatian saw the old man take ber hand and con- tinue his discourse. That hanf of her's lingered in his: she appeared to listen with a deepening interest-—but Christian wae too far off to discern ¢ ression of her countenance; though he Rough that i¢ indicated painful seriousness. Blowl Sir John Steward insinuate an arm round Laura's waist; for a few moments she did not appear to aotice it—but as if all in an instant becoming aware thes euch was the case, sho ab- ruptly disengaged hoxself. Then the negress spoke ard ygesticulated vebemently—the Baronet made her a sign to be quiet--and he seemed to go on oy apes —etS A \gagniy ~~ tteeD THE MYSTERIES OF THE OQOURT. neces rep mneeagcapsgeeeemenafACEE addressing Laura in a coaxing, cajoling strain. This much Christian judged from Kis gestures: but whether it were so or not, Laura suddenly interrupted him by clasping ber bands and saying something with an air of the most touching appeal. The Baronet gave a brief response, and turned aside in one direction—while Laura and the negress, withdrawing in the other, re-entered the rosneion. A few minutes afterwards Mrs. Oxenden came forth and rejoined Sir John Steward. They had not been together many moments, when a foot- man in handsome livery accosted them and deli- vered some message. He withdrew—but shortly re-appeared, conducting a gentleman dressed in deep black, and who had the appearance of a clergyman—or, as a second thought suggested ta Christian, of a Catholic priest, by cortain pecu- liarities in bis apparel. The footman retired ; and the visitor in black remained for about ten minutes in conversation ‘vith Sir John Steward and Mra, Oxenden. They then all three slowly entered the manmon together; and as another half-hour passed without the re-appearance of any of those whose proceedinga Christian had been watching, he descended from the tree. It was now two o'clock in the afternoon—and be knew not whether to retrace his way to Rame- gate, or to linger in that neighbourhood with the chance of seeing anything more that might throw the faintest light on what was going on within the precincts of Verner House. He was howevet fearful of being detected in that vicinage—in which case his presence might possibly do moro harm than good to Laura’s interests. He had leas misyiving in respect to tho intentions harbourcd towards her than he had previously entertained : that is to say, he no longer thought it was Yor an gutrageously vile purpose that she had been brought thither, but that matrimonial views were cntertained—or else why the presence of that gentleman in black, who was evuicntly a miuister of religion of some denomination or another? He began to retrace bis way towarda the town, partially with the idea of acquainting the landlord of the hotel with all he had seen, and asking his advice and assistance; yet hie mind was not altogether made up to the adoption of this atep, inasmuch as he naturally reflected that the landlord bad quite enough to do im attending to his own business without attending to that of others, and that he might moreover be reluctant to perform a hostile part towards a man of wealth and influence in the neighbourhood. For an instant Christian thought ot boldly addressing himself {o a magistrate : tut it required only another moment’s thought ta make him aware that there was not sufficient ground for legal interference in any shape or wav. In a word, our young hero could settle his mind to no decisive course of action; and yet he was determined not to abandon the enterprise in which he had embarked. He entered Ramsgate: and as he was proceed. ing towards the hotel, he beheld a group of mountebanke exhibiting their anties in the market- place. Three or four, apparelled in a quaint costume, were mousted on high stilte—while « companion in plain clothes was beating a huge drum and running bis jips rapidly along a set of pandeas*pipes conveniently thrast into his —fige @o oy (C NOG SS