The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 303: what you’re looking at

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

a wee eee oe eee, anemia Uy ca tT THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. she conversed with the old steward in the most affable manner. “JT have been made acquainted,” she said, still lingering in the gallery, “ with that terrible tragedy which is so fearfully connected with the name of Oaklands. Were you here when it occurred P” Purvis responded in the affirmative; and Indora to question the old man on various points connected with that deplorable history. Purvis—who was delighted with the frank . lity of the Princess, and also astotiished at thé fluency with whieK she spoke in his native tattiue, as well as at the superior intelligence which WaBy of her observations indicated—cheerfally satiafiéd curiosity; and the tale of the Duchess Eifga and Bertram Vivian was told all over again. listened With a deep and awe-felt interests fast ti the course of some remarks which bade at the conclusion, he said, “The very dagger, iy lady, with which the dreadful deed was sevém- plished, exists still beneath this roof!” “Te it not strange,” said Indora, with 4 Visib shudder, “that the present Duke of Marchmoné should have preserved a weapon which every tine he beholds it, must so frightfally remind hit ¢ the foul deed of assassination whereby he lest Mis uncle P” “To tell your ladyship the truth,” answered Purvis, “his Grace knows not that thé tveapon it still retained within these walls. It is I who hat) kept it: and if you were to ask me Whetefore, I could not say. Heaven knows that {it is throtgh no morbid feeling of curiosity: for #eldoni indeed do I ventyre to cast a look upon that torrible weapon. But after the coroner’s isiquest, I fou it lyisg {it ne rooti Where that inquiry took placa ho ordetd were lasued as to its disposal ; and thrust it away bi & lumber-cioset. There ft closet itaxlf was to be } certain dlieration’ w | Were iiade within these walls. h the Ur Spain fell into my hand: it Wad covered -and a cold feeling of hortor shot througt nlp at the thotight that it was my deceased mastet’s blood which was there. Your ladyship may think it & strange fancy on my part—but I took that and with my own hand scoured the blade so that the blood-rust should disappear ; and this being done, I thought of burying it in the ground, in order to put it for ever out of human sight. But another strange whim seized upon me; and I thought I would preserve it ds a relic of the past,—just as in furmer times the armour of those who perished in battle was preserved by the families to which they belonged. To be brief, tho fatal weapon has been thus preserved; and there are times when I think that in retaining ion of it I have been actuated by some higher impulse which I cannot rightly understand.” “It is singular—most singular!” said Indora, in & musing tone: “for it was not, as you have declared, through mere morbid curiosity :”—then after a few minutes’ pause, during which she reflected profoundly, she added, “The horrible has its own mysterious fascinations as well as the pleasing and the beautiful: for the human heart is so constituted as to be susceptible of them. Yes -——I will see that dagger. You have already told me when reciting the narrative of the tragedy, a year Or two—until the! the d dowi: tit the course of that it came from North America, and is of pecu- liar workmanship.” “I¢ was brought from North America, together with other curiosities,” responded Parvis, “by Bertram Vivian. If your ladyship will come this way, I will show it to yoa.” The old steward conducted the Princess Indors to a superbly-farnished saloon, where marble pil- lars and splendid draperies gave & grandeur to the scene,—and where, too, there were some beautiful of sculpture. At the extremity of this Woon there was a stall cabinet, containing a Vikioty of curiosities—eamongst which were those tht Bertram Vivien had brought over with him thm the United States. Tho old steward touched & sepret spring in & rosewood cupboard of euricas Workmanship: a door flew open, revealing a single drawer ; and thence he took forth the fatal dagye of Weick ¢0 much had just been said. fore the | shoo through her entire | toned Yiibore tovk: it in ter hand, and examined i attentively for upwards of 6 minate,—at thé vapiration of Which she returned it to Purvil, who Gonsigted if baek again to the place whence he had | $¢. Shuttiig the drawer, he closed the little door af the closet} ind Indors said, “ In the country fo Which I belong, wo have articles of farnitare tan yd rs: bat £ dé sot understand the working ot is one.” | | BRA. a at once gave her the explazs- 6h Wid item desire; tnd they then iscuail fos the eadinct. ft wis Ber that drittel wad served Up; aiid dacted to the dinirg-roum, wheré && past dppoired tpon thé table. ‘The liveried leo- Kew were id attendance just 43 if it trere the cy The ropeit being over—and there still two picts hourh of Whylight—Indora resumed her $ throngh the mansion, but on this oecs- sion dispensing with the attendance of Parvis. She revisited the picture-pallery; and thence pro- eseded to the chamber where, as she had been told, the Duchess Eliza took leave of her weeping ser- vants wheh about to go forth alone from that man- sion where so much misery had overtaken her. In this chamber the Princess sate down and gave way to a train of mournfullest reflections,—tears even trickling down her cheeks. Then she re- paired to the room which was occupied by Bertram Vivian when he was staying at Oaklands; and there again did the Princess linger in profound and painful meditation. Wherefore was she thus deeply interested in every circumstance and etery scene at all associated with that tragedy of nearly nineteen years back P From that apartment the Princess Indora toamed to the magnificent saloon where the marble columns and the rich draperies imparted an air of truly ducal grandeur, and whero there were such ex- quisite specimens of the sculptor’s art to be con- templated. But all these Indora appeared not how to notice: she seemed bent upon some pt which absorbed every other thoaght and feeling. A strange light was burning in the luminous depths of her magnificent dark eyes: her lips were compressed with the decisiveness of that pfofunnd parpose of her soul; and her feet bore her straight (COLL (C DOO Col