The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 311: what you’re looking at

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

THES MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. at all?’ inquired the Dake, with a strange ex- pression of countenance: “or are these mere imaginings—the result of consternation and terror ?” “No, wy lord,” replied the old steward, in a tone of confidence: “now that I can colleet my thoughts, I seem to have a perfect recollection that I did behold a tall dark form suddenly ap- pear behind your Grace, as you stood in the door- way with your back towards the saloom and your face towards the cabinet :—then the next instant the candle was dashed from your hand, and all was utter darkness. I think I heard bat of that I am not ao eure: fey i6 was then that I was seized with such a terror” | “Let us examine the carpet!’ euddenly ejaca- lated the Duke. With these words, he held fho lamp low down, and carefully serutizized the earpot behind the door and likewise behind the ry: bus there were no marks of foo y and the deward said, “Your Grace will pe that the pile ef the carpet, although eo thick, yisees up again inte an | even surface wherever it has been troddet upon. Our own leave no marks,” “True!” cried the Duke: and desisting feom the examination, he said in ¢ sclemn voice, “ Be | flect well, Purvis—examine well your resolleetione! on you speak confidently as te fle sounds of Again the old stewasd raised his hand to his forehead ; and after a minute’s deep reflection, he said, “ No, my lord—I camhot for the life of mie spesk with any degree : certainty upon this point. But what does % matter ?—does your Grace think,” asked the with a half appalled ae of etnaction “Hel #| there were no sounds of feeteteps, i§ must heave been an ition 7°” “Lock up that dvawes sad follow mo,” said the Duke in a low deep voiew: and Gd Porvi Porvis shrink back in diemsy foots the ghastly pallor of his countenanee. The old steward dosed fhe diawer eontaix- ing the dagger-sbut the door with the secrot spring—and closing the eabmet door Kkewise, he followed the Duke, who paced showly and thought- fully towards the farther extremity of the saloon. “Purvis,” he said, stopping short as he reached the door leading into the passage with which the saloon communicated, “this strange and imcom- prehensiblé occurrence———-No, not imcomprehen- sible |” he abruptly ejaculated: “ for, as you your- self have suggested, it must have been some evil- [ disposed person who was concealed there, and who adopted that stratagem to make his escape in the darkness——-But as I was about to say, we must keep this incident a secret. laughed at if we were to relate what has occurred. Do you understand me? I will not have all the goesips of the neighbourhood telling their idle tales about Oaklands,—the result of which would be that we should not get a servant to live with us; and as for visitors coming here again, it would be out of the question. So, mark me well !—-it is my will that what has occurred be kept secret. Com- pose your looks before you go amongst the servants again this evening.” “TI will attend to all your Grace’s instructions,” replied Purvis, who was in most instances accus- tomed to pay implicit obedience to the mandates of his master. The Duke then returned to the drawing-room— while the steward repaired to his own apartment : for he felt that his countenance still wore a safii- cient degree of trouble to excite the suspicions of bis fellow-servante if he went amongst them at once. By eleven o’dock the entive household had withdrawn to their respective apartments; and ORAPERR LVL & WMGNT AT C4KCinnds. Fe wee pact moidaight; and the old steward was 3 of s gaddem he was startled by epening; and 4 ery of terror Whe nearly bursting fiom his lips a6 his leoks fell gem what comntenance of a covgéd, But recognised the Duké of March- Cipitate fo enable him te pet it o® pro wildest horror was in his looks; and with stégger- if Belkind him, he placed the candlestick on the chest of dyawers, and threw himeelf ov a seat,— his whoks maiities and appearance giving him the aspeet ef one who had just seen somid hideous spectacle of passed th¥oagh a phase of appalling terror * Good heavens, my lord, what is the matter P’ asked Purvis, smitten with the csnviéfion mt ‘goracthing fresh of s dreadful character had occur¥ed: “what is the matter, my lofd——for God’s sake, speak !” But the Duke could not give utterance to & syllable; and still he continued to stare in wildest ghastliest horror upon the old steward, who him- self was quivering throughout every nerve and fibre. “ My lord, for heaven’s sake speak !—what is itP what is it?” he shudderingly asked. *Y know not—it must have been a dream!” replied Marchmont, but in # voice se deep and hollow that as it smote upon the cars of Purvis it sent forth diamay to the innermost recesses of his We should only be | soul. “A dream, my lord?” he ssid: “what dream could have produced this effect? Perhaps it was the result-———”’ | “Yes—it must have been,” rejoined March- mont, but evidently with the air of ons who sought to force upon himself a belief that was in an- tagonism with his own deeply settled convic- | tion. Purvis continued to regard his ducal master, whose countenance still denoted the unutterable horror and awful consternation which he had bees (SOL (C DOO Col