The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

~ ~ sa % nner ierecnennprpennon megan ET a a TN I, a A TT acer eee eg a lec ene pe 40 {o their respective homes, As « matter of courtesy, Yord Clandon requested then to wait for dinner, which would be shortly served up: but this, under the circumstances, was a <oere ceremoniat act of politeness, which was of course declined. Imme- diate orders were issued to have trunks packed up and carriages gottea in readiness: the com- mands were promptly obeyed—~and by seven o'clock on this memorable evening the guests had all taken their deps:iure. Lord Clandon nw hurried off towards the vil- lage where he he promised to meet his brother, and which was about a mile distant. Less than a quarter of an hour's rapid walk brought him to the tavern in the village; and on inquiring for the Hon. Mr, Bertram Vivian, he was at once shown into the little parlour where his brother, with feverish anxiety and harrowing suspense, was awaiting his arrival. Very nearly three hours had elapsed since they parted in the grounds of the mansion, and when Bertram eo passionately im- plored Hugh to hasten away and aseure their uncle of his wife’s innocence. During this inter- val, which had seemed an entire age, the unfor- tunate Bertram bad endured agonies of mind which, if spread over whole centuries, and por- tioned out as the lot of millions of human beings, ‘would even thus in each infinitesimal part have been excruciatingly intolerable—but which, when condensed into the space of three hours, and ag- grepated as t.e burden which a single individual had to bear, were overpowering and soul-crushing beyond the capacity of language to describe. The first glance which Lord Clandon threw upon his brother, as he entered the little parlour of the " village inn, showed him how fearfully Bertram inust have suffered. “What tidings, Hugh?” inguired Bertram, literally gasping with the fever of suspense, and with the horrible misgivings which Lord Clandon’s melancholy expreasion of countenance was but too well calculated to inspire. “Alas! nothing good,” was the elder brother's tesponee. “ Notning good!” murmured the unhappy Ber- tram, his features indicative of despair. “ But wiat has occurred? Tell me, Hugh!” he ex- claimed, with feverish haste. “ Did you assure our uncle——-” ‘“My dear Bertram,” rejoined Lord Clandon, taking his brother’s hand and pressing it, “I did all that I could—but in vain !” “And wy letter ?” cried Bertram: “has not the Duke had my letter P” * Your letter ?” exclaimed Clandon, in astonish- ment, ; “ But now I bethink me,” } went on to say rapidly, “it could not have reached the house before you must have left. I despatched it by a boy hatf-an-hour back. I was mad — frenzied goaded to desperation! The time was passing, and you came not-~--—-I knew not what to do my anxiety was intolerable——" “And what agid you to the Duke in your letter P” asked Ciandon. “I see .reenllect,” replied Bertram. “I tell you that [ waa. tned when I wrote it-——I am mad still! My God, and she innocent! But where ia she, Llugh ?. what has become of her ?” “She has iets Daktance,” angwered Lord Cian- nee THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. don. “First of all she was to depart with Mrs. Bailey-———" ' “ And she has left?” exclaimed Bertram wildly: “she has left? She has lost her home—she whu isinnocent! Oh, wretch that I am !—it is I that have caused this fearful havoc of feelings—this frightful desolation of circumstances!”-—and the miserable young man wrung his hands bitterly. “ But she has left, you say ?” he almost immediately. - added. “ Whither has she gone~” ‘* | “I know not,” responded Cléndon. “Mrs. Bailey departed without her; and the anfortunate Eliza quitted the house on foot—alone-———” “ Guod heavens! is this possible?” ejaculated Bertram: and the wildness of frenzy was in his eyes. “Eliza gone forth alone—unattefided—on foot ap outcast—-a wanderer! Qh, it is in- tolerable !”—and snatching up his hat, he rushed madly to the door. “ Whither would you go, Bertram P” oried Lord Clandon, seizing his brother forcibly by the arm to hold him back. “ Whither would I go P” ejaculated the almost . maddened young man. “To find her whom my insensate passion has ruined! to console her, if congviation be possible—to implore her pardon— to adopt means to prove her innocence-——”’ * But, Bertram ” “ Detain me not, Hugh! detain me not !”—and thus speaking with increasing frenzy of feelings aad rabid vehemence of manner, Bertram rushed forth from the village inn. ° Lord Clandon hurried out to the threshold of the front door: but his brother had already dis- appeared from his view. CHAPTER IX. THE CATASTROPHE. Asour a quarter of an hour after Lord Clandon had left the mansion to keep his appointment with Bertram, a letter, addressed to the Duke of March- mont, was brought by a boy and delivered to the hall-porter. The boy, who was already paid for his trouble, tarried not for any farther recompense —but hurried away the moment he had acquitted himeelf of his commission. That was the letter which Bertram had sent: but the address of the outside, as well as the contents within, were written in a hand so changed by the violent agi- tation of the writer, that no one, however familiar with his usual atyle of penmanship, would for a moment have suspected that it was hisown. The hall-porter gave the letter to a fogtman,—who, proceeding up-stairs, knocked at the door of the upartment in which the Duke of Mafchmont stilf remained. ‘Who is there P’ demanded the nobleman from within; and his voice was half stern, half pas- sionate. “I expressly ordered———” “A jetter, my ” sesponded the footman, “I know not, my lord,” rejoiged the domestic. “Tt is in @ strange hand——~ The: Duke opened the door, and received the TR A a i one eee Oe cee letter. The footman, as he caught a momentary ECONNIC I OOO© SS CO