The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 293: what you’re looking at

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280 ‘sable garments which she wore, together with the snowy white cap of widowhood, made her look more ghost-like still. We have already said that Adolphus was changed likewise; and his mourning garb threw out in ghastlier relief the pallor of his own countenance. Ethel was in that drawing-room first; and she was half reclining on the sofa when Adolphus— now Karl of Lascelles—slowly opened the door and made his appearance. Strange indeed was the look which these two beings threw upon each other; and these looks were precisely similar in their expression. It was with mingled horror, aversion, and reproach that Ethel looked upon Adolphus: it was with mingled horror, aversion, and reproach that Adolphus looked upon Ethel. But the next instant the aspect of each coun- tenance changed: Ethel looked with surprise upon Adolphus, as if she had expected another species of gaze on his part—and Adolphus looked with surprise on Ethel, as if her own gaze had equally astonished him. He walked slowly up to her; and fixing his eyes upon her, said in a low deep voice, “ Ethel, you have sold your soul to Satan on my account !” “What, Adolphus!” she exclaimed: “is it pos- sible that you dare burl the terrific weight of your own crime upon me?” “Ethel,” quickly rejoined Adolphus, “this is outrageous—this is horrible !” “ Adolphus,” retorted the Countess, “this is playing the part of unheard-of villany, to impute your crime to me!” “Good God |” murmured the Earl of Lascelles, staggering back as he pressed his hand to his brow: “do I hear aright? or am I dreaming ?” “ Adolphus,” said Ethel, “of what use is this shocking hypocrisy on your part? Methought when you firet entered the room that your looks would quail in my presence——”’ “Woman, this is intolerable!” interrupted Adol- phus, fiercely grasping Ethel’s arm. “It was I who thought that you would not dare look me in the face !”’ ““‘Unhand me, murderer!” cried the Countess, recoiling as if with a strong shudder from his touch. “ Murderess!” literally growled Adolphus with savage ferocity. “ Beautiful as you once were, you are now loathsome to my cyes!” “‘ Monster |’ retorted Ethel, with keenest bit- terness: “you are horrible as a fiend in my sight !” . There was nearly a minute’s silence,—during which those two beings gazed upon each other, with the strongest feelings of horror, aversion, and loathing expressed in their countenances. Their eyes appeared to burn: yet they did not shoot forth fitful glances—it was with a steady fire shining from the eyes of one towards the eyes of the other, transfusing mutual abhorrence! Yet meither seemed to dare avert those eyes from the other, lest it should be thought there was quailing and cowardice: for whatever the truth might be, very certain it was that Adolphus chose to affix the crime upon Ethel, while Ethel seemed equally resolute in affixing it upon Adolphus. “‘You dare stand before me thus?” said the Countess, at length breaking silence: “you dare meet my regards thus steadily, when your own heart tells you that you are a murderer ?” THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “And you, Ethel,” retorted the Earl ef Las- celles, “exhibit such a spectacle of brazen female hardihood that fille me with even mere astonish- ment than your capability of committing the crime iteelf—for your conscience all the while is whisper- ing that you ore a murderess |” “Oh!” exclaimed Ethel, quivering visibly from head to foot, “that there should be such a power of hypocrisy in man. What earthly purpose does it serve you to deny your crime in my presence, when you know that, considering all the past, I dare not betray you F*”’ “Come, Ethel,” responded Adolphus, “at least let this scene of hideous mockery terminate. Con- fess your guilt: for you likewise know that I dare not betray you !” “‘Wretch! coward—thus to treat a woman?” cried Ethel. “Ah! but if that woman, being a murderess,” retorted Adolphus, “ brings it all upon herself!” ‘“‘ You are driving me to madness!” exciaimed the Countess, stamping her foot upon the flucr. “ Does not all evidence brand you with the guilt of this stupendous crime? Were not your part- ing words to me, on the day preceding the night of that crime, that sooner than marry Isabelis you would do the very worst 7” “Ah! but you, Ethel, echoed those words!” retorted Adolphus; “and you declared that sooner than see me lead Isabella to the altar, you would do the very worst! Mothought at the time you alluded to suicide——” “And I did!” ejaculated Ethel, vehemently. “ Bat I, on my part, thought at the time that yoa meant to dare my husband’s anger and vengeance even to the uttermos 7 “And I did mean all that!” exclaimed Adol- phus. “I meant that sooner than wed Isabella after all you had said, I would flee away to the Continent and let the Earl expose—repudiate— discard me if he thought fit. Yes—that was my meaning! But your’s, Ethel, was very, very dif- ferent !” “ No, Adolphus—es God is my judge,” eried the Countess, passionately, “ I swear ——” “For heaven’s sake add not perjury and bias- phemy,” interrupted Adolphus, with an air of horror and affright, “to the other stu crimo! For it is I who swear—I who take God te witness———"”__ “No, no!” almost shrieked forth Ethel: * be- come not a perjurer! become not s blasphe- mer !” It was now the Earl of Lascelles who stamped his foot with rage ; and he began pacing the room like a lion chafing in his den: while Ethel took shorter but not less agitated walks to and fro on the hearth-rug. “ Adolphus,” she at length said, abruptly stop- ping him, and looking fixedly upon his counte- nance, “ you seem to have forgotten that you told me the tale of that interview with the Earl, when he revealed to you that you were not his son. Qh, be not thus obstinate! Remain silent, if you will : but do not—do not persevere in a course as dread- ful as it is dastard !|——-do not, by attributing the crime to me, for an instant entertain the hope that you can make me think it was not your hand which really perpetrated it! Had you not every motive ? Were you not trembling at the ides of an (GO) (C DOO Col