The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 373: what you’re looking at

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862 site side of the apartment. Hastily wiping away her tears, Indora perused the letter : it was a some- what lengthy one; and its contents engaged her for upwards of ten minutes. ' During this interval Christina occasionally glanced towards the two emissaries, whose pecu- liar costume she naturally had a eertain curiosity to examine,—when it gradually occurred to hot that the younger messenger was exhibiting & éefs tain feeling of uneasiness. At first he, as well as his comrade, had remained seated with status-like immovability: but by degrees the younger #hé began to look around+to give slight starte—te seem even as if he were shuddering and trembling —to sniff the air with his nostrile—and then te fix his nattrally piercing eyes upon sittie cornet of the apaftment with an additional and increasing keenness. It was evident also to Christina that he strove to turmount whatevever feeling thus moved him, but that it was gfadually growifg stronger than hiieelf; Evon his toimpatioti, thé senior messenger, at length perceived it, arid bent a reproving look upon his comPade : thefi the latter became motionless and rigid fot atiothe? tainuté or two—but at the expiration thefdofhe again givided to that sense of nervous uneifiness which though eo visible, wad yet utterly tthacevihtable ty our wondering heroine. | The Princess Indota finished the perusal of the letter; and fof & few midtites she fertiaiied ab- sorbed in the reflections which a a from het father might naturally be sappoted to engender in het mind. Theft she addressed a fow words to the #enior emissaty; aad he #eporided at some considerable length, as if he were giting explanations in answer to a question pub “TheeS faithful emissaries,” said the Peitisess, addressing herself to Christina, *eome m you heard Sagoonah ankounce, from my tuzal father. The left Inderabad three triontha back ; and they have tfavelled by 86 overland route to this country. Frots Bombay they were aéévttipanied by an Hng- lish intlerpreter, wWhoes services they there pro- cuted f, and thus they have experienced #0 diffi- culty if thé prosecution of their joufiiey, They only reached London this evening; and they beg me to excuse them for having some hither at so late an hour—but they judged that If should be only too well satisfied to receive the carliest tidings from my beloved father. He is well; but he misses me greatly. His letter is full of kindnese-—and he urges mo to return to my native land with the least possible delay. I have bees expecting some such summohs as this——-—and yet the purpose which brought mie to England, is not as yet accom: plished! It cannot however be long,” continued Indora, in a musing strain rather than a¢tually ad- dressing hereclf to Christina ;—“ no, it eannot be long ere my object shall be worked out. Heaven has already aided in placing me on the right traek | The time, therefore, I feel confident is not far re- mote when I shall be enabled to obey my father’s summons; end it was this idea, Christina, which made me tell you yesterday thas if I am soon com- pelled by cireumstances to leave England, you should not find yourself unprovided for.” Our hervise expressed her gratitude with ea look fervently bent upon her high-born friend; and oc a yr LTE ae A SR then the Princess resumed the coaversation with the senior emissary. But by this time the un.,the peculiarities of that species of serpent, is THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. easiness of the junior one had risen into a sore trouble and agitation: he gathered up his legs completely under him on the ottoman—his slender wiry form appeared to be convulseal with spas- modi¢ writhings—his eyes vibrated with a visible terrof—he sniffed the sir—the perspiration stood upon his dark bronged brow. Indora now observed the eundition of the man; and stopping short in soité Pémark which she was addressing to his eotnpahion, she gased upoti him with bewildered aatotiishinént. He threw himself at her fect— looked shudderingly arcund—and then ejaculated something which had the instantaneous effect of tiaking the Princess Indora heteelf start, as if abtuptly smitten with the infection of the man’s owii terfor, But itistantandously recovering her telf:possession, she smiled, and addressed him in Wofds the tones of which were evidently fraught #ith encouragement, as Christina herself could not fail to comptehetid: | | * You will be amused, iny deat friend,” eaid the Prineesa, addressing herself in English to our heroine, “ whet I explain te you the reason of all this———the tioré so too, thet the evincidence is stfange, afte? we durselves have ubly this very day visited a certaifi place. Composed yourself, Chris- tind—becausd you knoW it is ay impossible as I have just bee endeavouring to persuade this mes- senger that it is—but he expresese his belief— nay, even his convistiviy, that thefe is & serpent of deadly nature withia these walls.” Ottistina had fecoiled with sickheus and loath- itig from the coittenplation of the reptiles in the Zoological Gardens; ahd if Wad ftv affected sense- tiofiion her part: But éhé @as not a silly, frivo- lows, weak-minded girl to yield herself to terrors when her uwn soutid atid steady judgment gate hér everf téason t¢ believe that there was no actual foundation fo? thet She therefore at once said, “ Yes, it is imposdible, my lady: for we have no fénomous reptiles ia this éduntry—encept the viper and adder, whose bites ate seldom if ever fatal; and at all events, I have never read nor heard of one inetdties of their introducing them- selvta into houses,” ; Meanwhile thé tembling messenger had risen from his kneelitig posture; and slowly but keenly were his looks being plunged into every corner of the room. The senior messenyer had started up in consternation when his comrade had ejeca- latingly annouttced his conviction of the prevenes of a serpent within those walls: but he was some- what cheered and soothed by tho assurances which the Prineess had given, sithough he still looked doubtitigly upeh hie Hindoo companion. *It is ab least strange,” said the Princess, speaking more hastily than before to Christiad!: “ for this individual” (alluding to the junior mes senger) “was originally one of the rhost celebrated snake-¢ébarmefrs in all India, until for a particulier service rendered my royal father took him imts his household and sssigned him a confidential post. It ie the peculiar instinct, if I may use the term, of some of these snake-charmers that they ean actuelly tell when they are in the vicinage ef that most deadly of reptiles, the cobra di capelie. Perhaps it is an exhalation from their slimy forme whieh impregnates the atmosphere, and whieh though imperceptible to those unacquainted with a Emam a a rat COMMIC DOO Col