The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

Oe - ~~ RE, gree enere res eete entereer eR aT CN ce OAT EE STAT, a LDA LAI LI — 303 THES MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Ma site side of the apartment. Hastily wiping away | easiness of the junior one had risen into a sore her tears, Indora perused the letter :“it was a some- | trouble and agitation: be gathered rp his lege what lengthy one: and its contente engaged her for | completely under him on the ottoman—his slender upwards of ten minutes. wiry form appeared to be convulsad with ‘ spase- During this ioterval Christina ovessionally | modio writhinge—his eyes vibrated with a visible glanced towards the two emissaries, whose pecu- | terror—be eniffed the sir—the perspiration stood liar costuwe she naturally had a certain curiosity | upon his dark bronzed brow. Indora now observed to examine,~-when it gradually occurred to her | the condition of the man; and stopping short in that the younger messenger wae exhibiting a cer | some remark which she was addressing to his tain focling of uneasiness. At first be, as well as abe gased upon him with bewildered his comrade, had remained seated with statue-like | astonishment. He threw himself at ber fect— immovabiliity: but by degrees the younger one | looked shudderingly around—and then ejaculated oegen to lovk around-—to give slight starts—te something which had the instantaneous effect of seorm even as if be were shuddering and trembling | making the Princese Indora herself etart, as if —to suiff the aly with his nostrila—and then to | abruptly smitten with the infection of tbe man’s fix bis naturally piercing eyes upon some corner of | own terror. But instantaneously recovering her the apartment with an additione! and increasing | self-possesaion, ehe smiled, and addressed him in keennges, It was evident also to Christina that | words the tones of which were evidently fraught le etrove to surmount whatsoever feeling thus | with encouragement, as Christina herself could not moved him, but that if was gradually growing | fail to comprehend. etronger than bimaslf. Even his companion, the; “ You will be amazed, my dear friend,” enid the Senior messenger, at length perceived is, and bent Princess, addressing hervelf in Englith to our © reproving luok upon his comrade: then the latter | heroine, “ when I explain to you the resson of all -became motionless and rigid for another minute or | this———the moro sv two, that the coincidence is two—but at the expiration thereof be again yielded | strange, after we ourselves have only this very day to that sense of nervous uneasiness which though | visited s certain place. Compose yourself, Chris- so visible, was yet utterly unscouuntable to our | tine—becauss you know it is as impossible as I wondering beraine. bave just been endesvouring to persuade thie mes- The Princess Indora Gvisked the perusal of the | senger that it is——~but he expresses his belief — intter; and for a few minutes she rerained ab- | nay, even his conviction, that there is # serpent of sorbed in the reflvetions which = eomusupication | deadly nature within those walls.” from her father might naturally be supposed to’ Christina hed. reeniied with sickners and Joath- engender in her mind. Then she addressed a fow : ing from the comtempistion of the reptiles in the words to the senior omisary; and’ he responded | Zuologioal Gardons; and 1t was no affected sonaa- at wwe sonsiderable length, as if he were giving | tiun on her part. But she was not a silly, frivo- esplapations in answer to a.question put. lous, wenk-minded girl to yield herself to terres “These frithiul emissarice,” said the Princess, | when her own sound and asleady judgment gsve exidvessing herself to Christina, “come, as you| ber overy reason te believe that there was no heard. Bapounah announce, from my royal father. | actual foundation for them. She therefore at once Rbey loft Inderabad three inonthe back ; and they | said, " You, it is impossible, my lady: for we hare hare travalicad by the overland route to this country. | 20 venomous reptiles in this country —exospt the Fram Bombay they were sceampanied by an Eng- , Viper and adder, whose bites are seidom if ever inh interproter, whose servioss (hey thore pro- | fatal; and at all events, | have never read nor eured; aud thue they eve experienced no «fi- | heard af one instauce of their introducing them- culty in the proaseation of their journey. They : selves into houses.” only peached Londoa thie ovening; and they bog | Meanwhile the trewbling messenger had risen tae to excure them for having avme hither at se from bis kneeling posture; and sluwly but keenly ‘late an hour—but they judged shat I ehankd be. were hie looks being plunged into every corner of only too well satiaficd to reesive the eartiest tidings | the room. Tha eenior mesecnger had started up from iny beloved tathor. He is well; bat betnisses ‘in consternation wher bis comrade had ejecu | me greatly, iis letter is full of kindneas—and he: latingly announced his conviction of the presence urges me to return 6o my native land with the of « serpent within thcse walls: but he was some- least possibie delay, I are been expecting eome ' what cheered and sovtiod by the assurances which auch euinions as this and vet the purpose the Princess had given, although he etall looked which brouzlt me to England, ie nut as yet accom. | doubtingly upon bie Liindve companion. plished! Jt cannot however be long,” continued, “It ia at least strange,” said the Princess, Jndora, in a musing strain rather than actually ad- ‘ speaking more hastily than defore to Christina: drecsng berwif to Obristina;~-“ no, it cannot be‘ “ for this individual” (alluding to the junior mes. lung ere my objuct shall be worked out. Heaven: senger) “ was originally one of the most calettated has already sided in placing mve on the right track! ' anake-charmers in all India, until for a partucular Tho tome, therefore, | feel cunfident is nut far re- | service rendered my royal father took him into mote when 1 shall be enabiad. to obey my father's; his household and assigned him a confidential summons; and it ans thie idea, Christina, which | post. Itis the peculiar instinct, if I may use the made me tell you, yoeterday tbat if 1 am soon com-)} term, of some of these enake-charmers that they petied by circumstances to leave England, you! aan ectually tell when they are in the vicinage of should not flud yourself unprovided for.” that most deadly of reptiles, the cobra di capelbo. Gur beroiae expremed ber gratitude with a look | Porbaps it ie an exbalation from their slimy forms fervently bent upen her bigh-born friend; andi which impregnates the atmosphere, and shich than tha. Princess resumed the conversation with | though imperceptible to these unacquainted with the souler emniemerp. But by thin time the un. | the peenliarities of that specice of serpent, « Ac maitansiaeeeenyinennbmeesirenim devmmetins ah , GOnMGOOOKS