The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. found the ayah accessible to bribery on the very firet occasion when I dropped her a hint that a great nobleman had fallen in love with both her- self and her mistress: but she isa strange creature in her way—for she at once declared that her mistress should have the honour of your Grace's preference, and that.she herself would be content to assist in the enterprise.” “Is her mistress at all gay?’ inquired March- mont: “has she been brought over to this country hy some wealthy nabob, who by dying or on leaving her, has enriched her ?”’ “ Nothing of the sort, my lord!” cried Madame Angelique : “she is a paragon of virtue and pro- priety. This mach the ayah esmured me gone me to understdnil that the astutest artifice and mest unscrupulous force raust bé employed for the vanguishing of that stabborn virtae of hers.” | “Then methinks it is a somewhét difficull task?” seid the Duke, helping himself to another gisss of wine. “By no méans, my lord!” rejoined Madame a apehane. be for you to use the violence, van —and success is certain.” “But what in the name of heaven,” eried the Dake, “is the indy doing in this country ? Barely you must have learnt some “The ayah is a wom of few only to the point—and is by no means disposed to waste her breath in u communications. I conid obtam nothing more from her,” continued Madame Angelique, “than what was absolately necessary for the carrying out of our aims. Listen, my lord. I ere now informed yout Grave that fortune favoured me—end it was so. Assisted by the ayah, I obtained admission to the lady; and. the converbetion took such a tum—no matter how. —that I came away with the thoroggh under. ing that whe is to visit Oaklands for a few days—— ““What! have you made her deheve she is te be. the guest of the Duchess and myself?” exclaimed Marcinmont, evidentiy at « lous to comprehend the: milliner’s proceeding. “Quite the contrary, my lord! The fady sup- posss that you and ‘the Duchess will not be there: at all—but that out of kindness she is to be per-' mitted to make your country-veat her home for a few days; und im her ingenuousnes,” added Madame Angelique, with a mocking ‘air, “ she has been led to fancy that it ts quite customary in this country for a nobleman thus to plate his man- sion dt the disposal of a foreigner of distinction, no matter whether male or female.” “Well, bat what plan do you suggest P” asked’ the Dake: “for I cannot for the life of me——” “Listen, my lord! The lady will go alone to. Oaklands: of ¢hat I am confident ;-—and what is more, she has provided herself with a quantity of Buropean dresees 36 that she my not have an extraordinary appearance. Of course her Grace the Duchess will remain ignorant that the lady is at Oaklands: ‘bat what is to prevent ‘your lordship from finding your way there late some evening, and entering ttealthilyP You find the bird in your own cage—and what is ‘more, she has flown voluntarily thither. She shit succuind ; and then t will be for your Grace to convinte her of the impossibility of her invoking the law to punish “The train for the artifice is laid: it. I have 287 you. For how will the matter stand? Here isa lady, who has lived long enough in England and speaks the language well enough to comprehend all its customs, proceeding of her own accord to your country-seat—leaving her servants behind her ~~discarding for the time being her own habitaal costume—having English dresses made for the parpose,—why, who on earth would belicve her tale if she were to prociaim that sho had been inveigied into a enare? Shall not I be ready to stand Yorwerd to give my own version of the manner in which the arrangement was offected between herself and me Pf—shall I not at ones. boldly affirm that I was a mossonger of love from your Grace to hor—and that she accepted the the | overtvare ang went to the appointment? Make her understand 4H this, my lord—-and rest azeured tat che wil rather eck to weil ber shane as closely as possible, chan to expose it useless.” “ 'Yesa—the plot is admirable!” exclaimed the Dake; “und you are the mest aceomplished of usefaiwamen. But when is the affair to coime off P” “I will write to the tady to-morrow,” responded Madame Angeliqae; “and I have no doubt that on the day after sho will repair to Oaklands. It is for your Grace to despatch a momenger with suitable instructions, so that she may be received by the servants in the light of an honoured guest at whoeo disposal the entire establishment is to be pisced so long us ft may suit her to sojourn there.” ° “¥ will send off the necessary instructions the very first thing in the morning,” the Duke. “ And now, to dissoarse upon another sub- ject—whatt about. Lettics Rodney ?”’ “Ab, the ungrateful wretch!” cried Madame Angelique, with an indignation that could not possibly have been greater if it were based on the most honset : “€o serve me in such a way after ali I had done for her |” “Well, but what has become of her?” inquired the Duke. * That is exactly what 1 should like to ascertain -—but she has been spirited away, no one knows where. They say she is penitent. Penitence in- deed |” —and with as much disgust as if it were a heinous crime the bare idea ct which thus excited ‘her, Madame Angelique screwed up her coun- tenarico into a strange contortion. “Well, relieve your feelings with s glass of wine,” said the ‘Dake. Madame Angelique followed lis Grace's counsel ; and went on €0 exclaim, “Who would have be- lieved &? Most people, when their girls get into trouble, leave them to get out again as best they may. But here was I—with a sense of humanity ‘which no doubt was carried to an extreme,—here was I, ‘uty lord, rushing off to Liverpool to see the wretch, and to offer to find ‘het lawyers, and ‘couh- eel, andi all that sort of thing—dn condition that she kept my name out of the question: but the prison-door was banged in my faco—and I was told that Zettice Rodney did not want to see mo. Not want to see me!l—me, her vory best friend ]——and now I ‘hate her so that I could ettatch ‘her eyes out if she came across me !” “But have you no ides,” inquired Marchmont, “who was at the bottém of all those proceedings on her behalf? The newspapers spoke of ™ Auential friends-——~” (GO) an (C DOO Col