The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 295: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. losing rank—position—fortune ? Did you not therefore say to yourself that you would for ever silence the lips that alone could tell the tale: for you knew that mine were already sealed by that guilty love which had subsisted between us !” “If I have listened to you in silence,” responded Adolphus, “it is not that my blood has ceased ¢o boil with indignant impatience. Ethel, Ethel, # is you who thus with a detestable disthia ulation persevere in attributing the crime to me !—it is you, I say, who hope to make me fancy that You really did not perpetrate that crime! You, oF motives :—you had every motive! that I comprehend ‘pot the terrific jealotisy which swayed your heart when I spoke of wedding Iva: bella? Ah, confess that it was through Jove of me you did this deed!—confess it, Ethel, and I will pardon you———but for heaven’s sake perse- vere not in ascribing it unto ine !” “T also, Adolphus, have cutbed my impatience,” answered the Countess, “ that { might give you & fair chance for retractatios, coffession, and atone- ment :—but you are obstinate! Now listen, We will not blind our eyes to the fact that the crimé rests between us two: for no othet living being had a motive in perpetrating it. 1% was therefore I or you who committed it———and you know, Adolphus, that it was yourself !* “Ab, Ethel! you have ideal wali troly,” he exclaimed, “that & Yes betweeh tb two: be you will not look me mich {op onget in Uo thee ad with such astounding dissim' Bény that uM the mei was wholly and boleliy ours! ” The Countess literally her teeth With rage; and then she muttered ia § voice that was hoarse with the same Miscreant, you know that you am * No, fiend in ‘ on you who are a murderess !”—and | having | en, the Earl of Lascelles walked a abroptly the room. The Countess flung the tofa, and ere way to bitterest weeping # 1 most donvalsing CHAPTe $i. Txeee weeks had ) Se eS and the oriental lady al pt project into execation The Duke of Marchinont Bhd béen y called out of town on some } she baie; and thos oe rig which Madame Angelique | ound 6 of communicating with - he had & Rote to this effect to the ince indore, th the basse time that she sent home the Earopean costumes which be her Highness iad orde Three weeks, toy _ elapsed ‘since that visit which Christina to Zoe, and when she had every reason to believe that this amiable lady sus- pected the passion which her husband cherished for our heroine. Christina had been very un- happy since that date: but she had endeavoured to conceal her feelings as much as possible from the Princess,—though the latter on three or four gon | rOge rien Indora ; | Aiea occasions kindly questioned her whether she had not something which troubled her mindP Chris- tina gave evasive responses; and these tended to confirm Indora’s suspicion that her young friend was not altogether happy. Accordingly, one day when they were seated to- gether in the elegantly furnished drawing-room, the Princess said in a gentle voice, and with a look of most benevolent sympathy, “I am afraid, Christina, that you have something which % upon your mind? If it be ao, tell me ate not to make a confidante of me. I am —I love you—and I wish you weil.” am deeply grateful to your ladyship,” an- eWered Christina, “for the many, many kindnesses which I at your hands: I have every reason to be happy beneath your roof———” you miss the society in which you vent to mingle when at Lady Octavian Meredith f Here it must be dull for you———” “ Oh, no—fer from it!’ exclaimed Christina, hoping ‘to fivert ths conversation into some other channel. 1 love the lite which I am leading that you al “J nity ways speak with sincerity,” obeerved thé Privooes; “and at ease on that point. eo she added, | with a smile, “ yom is well occupied—for you make occupation yourself, It is exceedingly kind of you to teke so much pains in teaching Sagoonah to read Engtizh accurately :—but are you kindness P” “ Oh, no, my lady 1° exclaimed the amiable Christina. so willing a pupil, that T pDariance the uimost elight in instructing her. had ye many days in your ladyship’s house, before I gaw that Sagoonah was most anxious to make herself thoroughly acquainted with the Engikh | She had already a ery tolerable lo Sdea of iy native tongue: but she wished to be able to read it—and your ladyship would be be surprised, if you now heard b her, at the progress she hab made.” “JY have no doubt of it,” observed Indora; “for she is a young woman of remarkable intel- ligence.” At this moment the object of the conversation entered the room to make some announcement to her mistress; and those three females constituted a group which the eye of even an anchorite could not have surveyed with indifference. The Princess Indora, in her superbly picturesque garb, and with her magnificent charms, half-reclining wpon the Oaklands. j velvet cushions of the sofa—the ayah, with her darker style of loveliness, standing before her in that attitude of respectful attention which she was wont to adopt—and the youthful Christina, in- vested with that exquisite virginal beauty which rendered her a being so well calculated to excite the tenderest interest,—these three, we repeat, being thus would have formed an ad- mirable subject for the pencil of the artist. An hour after that conversation between the Princess and Christina, we shall find the latter seated in another room, in company with Sagoonah, who was engaged in the practice of her English reading. Here was another interesting spectacle, -—that Hindoo women evidently exerting all her powers to render herself proficient in the task COMMIC DOO Col