The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

— LL A I eR eT ETD, eee ee FE es eR —_ wow — ee = — | and at Iis own implacable harshness. 42 really innocent: his soul yearnel to think her go- his leart bled at the idea of its possibility, An iden struck him, He went forth from the rogun, ane inquired for Ford Clancon; but he was informed that Hugh had gone out a little time previously. Then the Duke ordered Jane, her Gruce’s prin- cipal lady’aanaid, to be sent t. bim in the drawing. room. During the few minutes which elapsed ere the young woman made her appearance, the Duke of Marchinont composed his louks inte an expres- sion of cold and severe dignity: for he wua too proud to dieplay before others all be felt. “Jane,” he enid, as the maid entered the room with « sorrowful countenance, and with the traces of weeping still upun it, “ your mistress has tuken ber departure ?” “Yes, iny lord,” was the response. was very, very unhappy——” “And whither lus she gone?” interrupted the Duke. “{ know not, my lord.” “ But the instructions she gave to the noach- “Wer Grace Ee; ek? Ceggep ieee a se ep PT SEE ON ox THE MYBTERIES OF TER COURT. ing of that strange eondyct which Bertram and Elza had observed tuwarda eagh other dumug the first few days of the young gentleinnn’s visit to Ouklands, And he, the Duke, had purpoeely thrown them together! he hud etudied tw pl ce them on a friendly footing! Ah, af he were cise honuured, he had indecd, thoush unconsciously, been the author of that dishonuur. But what in is beart he had for the Jas: quarter of an hour, been wishing, and yearning, and craving might ‘come to pase, he now more thar haif Believed. Was it not indeed possible --nay, more, was it not probable, that Eliza had been only weak, not guilty —and that Bertra:n’s vindication was true, wien it declared that under the influence of irrepreasivle feelingse—not being at ‘ba roument mastes of hin- evlf -he bad caught Ler in kis are? =The longer the Duke thought of this, the more was be in- elined to put fatth in Bertrain’s etate.nent. Tne tery circurostances attending the departure of his wie, as be had jual heard them frum June's hps, seemed to be tincturrd with a dignity far more compatible with conscious innocence than with a , man? You duubtless attended her to the car- ; seuse of puilt. - riage——" “My lord,” rejoined the maid, tears bursting forth afresh, “her Grace went away on fit " “On foot P” cried the nubloman, in asvonish- ment. “Yes, my lord,” continued Jane, kaid (hint ahe came to you without a carriage, aud se would go away as portionless ” “Ab! murnured the Duke: and then his eves were carnestily fixed upon the maid, as if bis soul expericuced wn avidity for whatsoever words of - exylanation mipht next come train her lips. “Idler Grace called God to witness Ler inno- gence,” proceeded the maid. would be a shocking thing to fancy that buman nature is ao bad to take such dn onth——” But the voung waman stopped short: for she recollected Mra. Bulley’s words and manner -— aud she trembled at the idea of pledging herself to “Ah, my lord! it: “O Hiliza! O Elisa!” groaned the unhappy Duke, in the mingled anguish and reviving funid- ness of his heart; “if I buve wronged you youd hoavens, if I have wronged you! And that have, | J fear——nay, 1 am well mgh cunvinced. You “Her Grace | sousht not to be on wiinate teras with Bertrare ; you were cold and distant towaris him. Youur de meanour was, under al) circumsfances, that which it ought to have bevn. And 1 tarew you together —-[ lorced you into each other’s sumety IL ieft you alune tugether!——-Ab! it wns natural you should speak of the past -vivtims that yuu bad both been mado to @ hideous deception! Yes, iiza, you are innocent! Your weukness I forgive —you shall eome tu my arms arAin—and it ie I — will on my knees sue at ; uur feet for par- gee The Duke rushed forth from the boudoir ina jstafe of mind bordering on frengy. All hie habitual 4 beef in the innocence of one who might after | dignity was forgotten —all bis wonted pride wus as all be guilty. “Aud what elso did the Dutvhess aay?” de- manded the Duke, wita the petulefnce of feverish impatience. “ter Grace bade me tell your lordship,” re- ‘sponded dane, “that sou would tind in her writmg- desk (he several documents to which her letter tu your Grace toide allusion—J mean the letter which nuught, under the influence of the strong feelinys which now posseased bim. Le reached the land- ing whence the drawing room opened: and there he abruptly encountered Lord Clandon, who had ‘Just Lurried back from the village after the iuter- view with his brother. “Ah!” ejaculated the Duke, as if the présence of his clder nephew suddenly reminded him of Lord Clandon wes good enough to take in to your ! thiags which, in the previous whirl of his canil.vt- Grace.” “Ah, that letter! I did not-———But no matter!” avd the Duko hastened abruptly from the rvom. He ascended to bis wife's boudoir: he found the writing-desk— he knew it to be the one winch her - father had left bebind him, and which*he himself had placed in Eliza's bands a short time after the funeral. It was unlocked: for the Duchess bad purposely ieft it sc. The Duke drew forth its | Contents; and Bertram’s letters to the late Cuptain ! 3 : . Lacey, which he found therein, gave him a com- plete insight into all those biesone matters to which hie unhappy yeung nephew's agitated com- muni¢ation from the village bac merely made rapid end almost incoherent allusivns. The Duke was astounded: weil fell bh | ing, distracting thought, he had atterly, lost sight (of. “Come hither:’"—and the Duke abruptly ' passed into the drawing-room, fullewed by Lora : Clanden. Ther interview did not last above ten minutes ; but what its nature was, we have a? present nd means uf desernibing. Suffice it to say that at the expiration of this brief interview, the door opened as bruptly aa when the Duke entered that room; ~—and his Grace came forth. Dtscending to the hall, he said in @ gaick excited manner to tho lacyucys, whom he found there, “ Let ali the male douvatics disperse themeclres over the neigiibour- hood, in search of the Duchees. If ber Grace be ' found, teil her that I—her husband—have wronged from hia eyes | her ~~and in a moment he comprehanded the real mean- | Ejaculations of joy burst farth from the lips of | ee eS EE et Oe, EE ee Ee We OR ee ee PE EE SS LS as ee LT Aare ha a ig mer we Gee oe ee oe ees. | | |