The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 374: what you’re looking at

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

TEE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. Oe at ae eee ei BN amen SF nae aetna imine ne ne from stealing up-etaira to listen on the landing at —— eee nevertheless suffeient to strike the extreme seosi- thveneas af the astute anake-charmers." “ But as for a cobra being within these walls, my lady,” said Christine, “it is simply impos- sible !’—and yet as she spoke she shuddered at the hare idea. “I will question bim again,” observed tho Princesa. “ But look at him !—assuredly this is no groundless nor mere panic terror under which he is labouring!” She addressed the Hindoo in a few worde; his answer was giten with rapid utterance and vebe- ment gesticuiation, aa if while in the expression of & positive conviction he were only held back by a eense of the respect due to a superior frum ap- braiding her Highness for doubting him. “He persists in bie assertion,” eaid Indora, again turning to our heroine. “Do not alarm yourself-—but something must be dune. I know thie man wall—ho would not attempt to deceive me —-—— Besides, look at him again, and judge for yourself : Christine indeed had not taken her eyes off the Hindoo: bis agitation was painfully increasing — and she was convinced that it was most roal. He appeared to be writhing as if in actual torture— ehuddering to the innermost confines of his being : bis teeth chattered as if with the cold—the perapi- ration stood in large drops upon his bronzed fore- head. The Princess addressed him again: he spuke vehemently, but still with the cumpletest rvepect{ulness, in reply;—and he extended his nands as if he asked for sonicthing. * Ho parsiste in declaring that there ts a cobra in the house,” said the Princess, again speaking to whristina;: and ke aeke fur some mumcal instru- 1ovst, which, if he once possessed it, would dispel all uis terror and make bim fevl that he suddenty be- comes the master of the serpent with no fear’ of falling ite victim.” “ Mark has a flageolet,” hastily suggested Chris- tina: “ your lad*ship koows that he w fond of shutting himself up 1p hus own room and playing 1t-—~———.”” “An excellent thought of your’s, my sweet young friend,” responded Indora; “and as certain orders must be issued, it 1s abaulutely neocasgry to auinmon ope uf the servants at apy risk.” “Atany risk, my lady?” sauj Christina, turn- ing pals. “ Them you yourself begin tu be- heve 7 “I knuw not what to think,” interrupted In- dura. “Qn the one hand it seems impossiblo— but on the other it strikes me that the matter nut to be neglected. The lunger I look at that mina, the more I am staggered——But we are wasting lime, Christina! Have the goodness to ting the bell twice: it is the special summons for Marke’ Tie bell was rung accordingly; and it was promptly answered : fur Mark was 1n the bail oon- Feraing with the Eugiisb interpreter who had ac- companied the two messengers to the villa, AMlark, as the reader wil! remember, had bimasif been in Iotia; and he was therefore well pleased to fallin «ith » fellow-countryman who had just arrived from that orient clime, and who could tel! hica all the news. Mark's presence in the hall had been productive of one beneficial effect—aithough he litle suspected it: for is prevented the syah what was thing place in the drawing-room—-a proceeding in which the wily Hindoo woman was very likely to haew indulied, were it not that abe dreaded the idas of exciting Mark's suspicion. She had already said in the aerenuts’ room that her work was ali done up-stairs—no bell sum- moned her—she had no excuse fur ascending thine staira—and they were ao situated with reapect to the entrance-hal} and the landing above, that if she had gune up aud loitered on the latter, abe would have stood every chanoe of boing Jletected by Mark who was stationed in the former, But to resume the thread of our narrative. Mark anawered the summons given by the double ringing of the drawing-roam bell ; and the Prin- cess hastily explained to him the strange but serious apprehension entertained by theeHindoo messenger. The faithful domestic was himeelf somewhat staggeyed—though it was certainly singular for an Englishman to be told that there was a venomous reptile of India within the walle of a dwelling on the outekirt of London: but still he was etaggered, because he beheld the exccesive Agitation of the Hindoo, and his experiences of lodian lifo were aufficient to convinces him that it was a real terror under which the emissary wae labouring. Besides, Mark was prulent~—and he koew full weil that as an apprehension was created, it would Q better to have it dispelled es soon ae possible, no matter whether it should be proved groundless or else justified by the result, “Say note word to the other domestics,” ob- served the Prinoese hurriedly, though nod for an instant did she lose her presence of mind : “ it will be useless to terrify theny——” “ But Sagoonah and Tippoo, wy lady, will hear the music,” suggested Mark ; “and they will know what it means.” “True!” ejaculated the Princess: then, after a moment's reflection, she added, “ Go you first and fetch the fageclet—then return to the servante’ hall—see thet all the domestics aro thero—lock the door—put the key in your pvoket—and tell thom what you will, At afl events you will prevent thom from rushing frantically sbuut the house, or escaping ints the gardon But go, good Mark —and for heaven's sako look woll-un the staiposse *and elsewhere—for if the horrible suspicion’ be iry deed correct wasting time |” Tho faithful intendant of Indora’s household quijted the room; and immediately he had dis- appeared, the junior messenger who now seemed to have become more calm, said something to the Princess. ’ * Hie still persaveres in declaring that there is a cobra within the walls of thie villa,” said the Princew to Christina: “but since the door has been opened and shut twice daring the last fow minutes, he eays that his instinctive susceptibility tells bim that the reptile is nut bere, in thie room—but in some other—-and ho thinks over. head,” “ Good heavens, the bed-chambers!” ejaculated Christina, who at each successive stage of these singular proceedings was more deeply eatching the infection of terror notwithstanding the natural strength of her mind. * De be alarmed,” repiied the Princess, But go, Mark—I am needlessly (C NOG SS