The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 399: what you’re looking at

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

¢ ¢2s' an = += 2 -2 = WU oes tate - arom . *+ Fem 2 ee Fn anh deaeaiens I see em coer eee + Neg ek ee AGE oR] er} ay iw Wee eee Fees om Beverley, “ give your band in welcome to this, CHAPTER LXV. beet and’ decreet friend—the being whom next ' yourself T must ‘mast love the meat sineeely You have HW YOUNG BARONET. yet to learn the immensity of obligation which is due from us both to Mr. Ashton I” THE scene was a frightful one: the sudden death The young maiden—who by this time ‘had re of Sir John Steward, follo with such “— covered a sufficiency of her self.possession, if not quickness upon what thus proved to be a positive mental composure, to undérstand that | warning on his nephew's part, struck al present " vas not al a dream, but s startling reality —as with a sense of heaven's retribution. - Edgar him. ' once gave her hand to our young hero, whom she self stood aghast - motionless—statue-like, though then recognised as the same individual that had hand which an instant before was upon him, lent his succour when the socident occurred to the fell as if palsied from its ferce ruffian grasp upon carriage. Christian’s countenance was exceed- his garments. ‘Laura sprang upright as if gal. ‘ingly pale: for the news of Sir John Steward's vanised, and stood gasing for a few moments in death had been communicated as abruptly as the wild horror upon the scene: then with a sudden incident iteelf had occurred ; and much as he had and half-stiflied shriek, she averted her looks— | loathed and abhorred the man, yet he could not | covered her face with her hands, as if to shut out remain unsusceptible of horror at his awful fate. object of horror—and sank almost fainting; “ You experience, my dear Ashton,” said Bever- upon. @ hair, Mrs. Oxendon, half-stunned for ley, “the same feeling as myself. I am shocked spe a minute, was transfixed to the spot,—her | and appalled : but it would savour of the vilest widely. -open eyes staring upon the hideous scene as , hypocrisy to profess affliction for an occurrence if she were in « fearful state of somnambulism: | | which is heaven's retribution iteelf. This is now and then, suddenly startled to a sense of the ) my mansion—and you, Ashton, are indeed a wal- change which had been wrought in the circum- come guest !” stances of Edgar Beverley, she turned towards; At that instant the young Baronet’s eyes settled her sister, murmuring, “ For heaven's sake forgive upon Mrs. Oxenden, who was advancing with the me, my dearest Laura !” air of the humblest supplicant. A burning indig- But the young maiden, whoee brain was in a ' nation sprang up to bis countenance —his arm was whirl, had lost all sense of the relationship aub- : , already stretching forth to bid her avaunt —his lips sisting between them ; and seeing in Mrs. Oxenden ' were wreathing to form the word “Begone !”—when nothing more than a bitter enemy who a few ' Laura, smitten with commiseration for the abject minutes back had been mercilessly upbraiding and "appearance of her lately imperious relative, mur- taunting her for her attempted flight,—the young | ‘mured, “Remember, dearest Edgar, she is my dameel, we say, repulsed with horror the vile | sister [” woman whose selfishness alone prompted a recon-; “True, said Beverley: and then he instanta- ciliation. neously recollected that his intended bride could Mrs. Oxenden fell back utterly discomfited ; and | not with decency remain beneath that roof unlese Laura, obedient to a sudden impulse, sprang for- ! in the companionship of a female relation. “Mrs. ward and was once more clasped in the arma of Oxenden,” he went on to observe, “to say that I _ Edgar Beverley. This time there was no one who ‘forgive you, is to proclaim as much as you can thought of separating the lovers: but still the ever expect to bear from my lips: but you cannot young maiden clung to Reger as if she were yot suppose that friendship will exist between us without a positive idea of safety. Remain here for the present—I do not consign The attorney saw that the new Baronet was in 4 your sister to your care—thank heaven, I am now no condition of mind to issue such commande as in a position to befriend and protect her: but were requisite under the circumstances; and he , Perhaps you will endeavour by your attentions to therefore undertook that duty himeelf. | ‘atone as much as possible for that past conduct “ Remove the body of your late master —begone | which I will forbear from designating by terms as fromthe room, ev@y one of you--let Mr. Ashton, | harsh as it merits.” ; who is a prisoner down-stairs, be immediately} Mrs. Oxenden took Laura’s hand, and looked i-vrated—tell him what has occurred—ard show most plaintively in her face, as if to beseech her him the way hither. As for you, vile wretch,” he | sympathy, her pardon, and the restoration of her added, turning to the negress, “tramp !—and if‘ love: but generous-bearted, magnavimous, as well u take yourself off from the mansion at once, as kindly gentle though the young maiden were, it dnere will be no harm done.” | wae nevertheless impossible that ehe could in « Then the lawyer's eyes settled aternly upon Mrs. moment put away from her recollection the sense eam Coe el CO ee oo -_ —_— Reyes | ppt =e = a ~=e _—= — —- Feta FE | osuan! as if he meant to issue the same im. of the bitter wrongs and persecution that she had | perious advice to her: but sbe looked as if ahe | at the hands of her sister. | were about to sink down on the carpet in a fit;/ “I will not speak a reproschful word to you,” and Mr. Andrews left the words unspoken. The ' ahe said in a low tremulous voice, while’ tears | gommands which he had uttered, were however trickled down her checks: “but as for ever again promptly obesed : the egress d in being se we once were towards each other, I ' affright—the corpse of the deceased was fear——” | ¢ from the apartment—the document dn which | Laura however left the remainder of the sen- : a) forth, was likewise removed—the | tence unattered; and ss she still clung to her _ BY ate i nts ‘tren Christian Ashton entered the , her sister, because Sir Edgar Beverley at the mo- ing “ Laure, de dearest Laura,” exclaimed Sir Edgar : Andrews. t ECONNIC I OOO© omestice withdrew—and in a few mo- | ‘lover's arm, she was compelled to turn away from . ment wae about to address a few words to Mz - erie 8g eee See es wren er ee ~- SS CO