The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

t 270 over their tocks at this most ominous : but Yeabella turned pafe and trembied. Fortunately however ber countenance was not at the instant towards her unele; and he perceived not her emotion. notice it; and hastening to assist Isabella with her shawl, she whispered rapidly, “Fear nothing ! Adolphus ‘will make everything right.” The Earl gave his arm to the Countees, while Lord Osmond escorted his cousin Isabella. They descended the stairs and reached the hall,—Adol- phus the while racking his brain fer some pretext to speak aside to Makepeace. As fortane would have it, Makepeace himself was at the instant ; crossing the hal, with a chamber-cendle in his hand. “With your ieston, Belle,” said Word Osmond, “I wifl smoke . igar in the garéen. Here, Makepeace! give me a light.” The valet stopped short accordingly: Adolphus approached him; and while stooping towards the candle, he said m a low rapid whisper, * Hasten round and prevent young Ashton from entering by the gate this evening.” The cigat was lighted—Adolphus gave Isebeila his arm again—and the party issued forth. The Karl was determined that Adolphus and Ieabella should not wander away from himself and the Countess ; and therefore, on entering the garden, he kept his son in continued conversation. But Lord Osmond had really no intention of straying : he had provided against the entrance of Christian Ashton—and that was the only thing he eared for. He fancied that there must be some suspicion in his father’s mind: buat what its precise nature was, he could not conjecture. As for the Earl, he was naturally led to imagine that this repetition of the evening walk t be in connexion with an expected visit from Christian; and that, after all, Adolphus toas really favouring the discarded secretary's suit towards Miss Vincent. The Eari however chatted gatly, as if there were nomng © to disturb his humour,—and afl the more gaily, too because he inwardly chuckled at the hope of of that nobloman’s fertile brain. wreaking a speedy vengeance on the presumptuous youth who dared aspire to the hand of his niece and stealthily intrude upon his grounds. Meantime Makepeace, m pursuance of Lord Osmond’s hint, had issued from the principal entrance of the grounds; and rapidly skirting the wall he reached the private door, against which he planted himself to await the coming of Christian Ashton. While standing there, he caught the sounds of heavy footsteps moving about just inside the garden door: then he heard a strange grating noise, as of some iron mechanism being acted upon; and this was followed by a sharp click— while a voice just audible to the valet’s ears, mut- tered, ‘‘ Botheration take this cursed thing! Ah, that’s right at last !” This ejaculation was accompanied by another grating metallic noise ; and then the foot. steps moved away from the neighbourhood of the door. The words were spoken in so low a tone— being merely in a musing strain to the man’s own eelf—that Makepeace could not recognise who he was; and he was totally at a loss to comprehend what the proceeding meant. He had not however much time for reflection ere our young hero made his appearance; and on beholding Makepeace [aa wes oe tinued Makepeace : planted against the door, he instamtancously fancied something wrong. valet ; ST eet here to belrisad yoo You must But the Countess did not enter the garden this evening: Lord Os- mond bade me come hither to warn you egsinst it,” * Vor heaven's take tell me,” exclaimed Chris- tian, ——~— amd then he abruptly s stopped short, fearmg lest the valet was acting as the Eari’s epy. “Do not be afraid of me, Mr. Ashton,” con- ““T am secretly disposed in i your favoar. The best is that it was I who | proegred the duplicate for you, and jsf it with Gord Osmond’s note at your lodgings yestes- day. can full well understand the reason : are not to enter the grounds this evening: it is simply besause the Hari has taken % into his head to jom the party m their walk.” “Thank you for this assurance!” replied Chris tien, his mind mow infinitely relieved: for his first and very nateral misgiving was that Isabella might have become involved in fresh tzeeble om his ac- 5 ever at not being peace hastily re-entered the grounds, and st once Proveeded to the spot just inside the where he had heard the footateps, the muttered which hed so much perplexed him. Aé first, be could see nothing: but a closer scrutiny showed him @ man-trap, with its teethed jaws wide apart, ready to receive and to cloas upon any unfortunate leg that might step between. Indeed the valet’s own leg expertenced but a narrow escape from being caught therein, as he was searchiag about upon the spot. * This is 1” Makepesss to himself : but his knowledge of the Hart's cere , | ter speedily made him aware that it was a devies “*¥t is pretty clear that the old map or knows some- thing: but how the deuse could it have come to his knowledge? At all events I am not sas pected: for his lordship was as kind to me to-day as ever—and I know the old bird too well to be deceived by such kindness if it were met perfectly natural. The !—he he woeld keep this entirely to himself. He expects to cateh young Ashton; and he will come here pre- sently to see whether his victim is fast in the trap.” Makepeace was strolling away from the gate, when a mischievous idea s him. “'Wouldn’t he be astonished,” thought the valet to himeelf, “if he came and found no trap at all f He would fancy that Christian hed been caught, and had climbed over the wall, the trap with him. Capital! I'll hide it!” Bo Makepeace, carefully Uifting the machine each & way ao to avoid geting his arms between ite gaping jaws, carried the trap to some little Gistance, and deposited it amongst a grep a ot shrube,—having done which he re-entered the mansion. In she meanwhile the Kari of Lascelles and his wife, Adolphus and Jeabelia, had been rambling & be alarmed, Mr. Adhton,” said the . COMMIC DOO Col