The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 52: what you’re looking at

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THR MYSTERIES OF THD COURP. eqtipage drove away. Then he stood irresolute for a few moments how to act. Mrs. Briley had taken her departure, leaving the Dueiess behind ; and the Duke's ogders. were consequently disobeyed. Haugh decided, after a short deliberation with him- ‘self, a ascending to his uncle's spartment to obtain farther metructions. Let us now see what in the meanwhile had taken place in Elisa's chamber. So soon as Mrs. Bailey had fled thence in the manner already described, the Duchess of Marchmont, sinking down from her temporary excitement, into that blank, dead, unnatural calmness which indieated utter despair,—said te her maids, “Give me my bonnet—my shawl—my gloves—and I will take my departure.” “Shall I order a carriage for your Grace?’ in- quired Jane, adown whose cheeks the tears were trickling, although in her heart she believed the Duchess guilty notwithstanding her solemn pro- testations to the 0,” answered Elisa: “I will depart on foot Portionless and penniless was I received as a wife: portionless and penniless will I go forth as a discarded and branded creature.” The two maids threw themselves weeping at Eliza’s feet, conjuring her not to oarry this resolve into execution: but she was firm—and in that very firmness she issued her commands in a voice that seemed more than décisive: i¢ was even stern. The maids rose, and in profound silence gave her for departure, her looks softened towarde thom ; and she said in « tremulous voice, “ Your kindness, my dear girls, touches me deeply: for, Oh! this is indeed a trial in the midst of which such kind- ness is to be felt. Farewell! Trouble not your- selves for me. Remain hero until you are sought out and questions are put to you as to the mode of my departure. Then say thatas I brought nothing with me of my own when the Duke took me as a wife, so I bear nothing away with me. Tell him likewise that m my writing-deek he will find the papers to which I alluded in the letter just now eent him. And once again, farewell.” With these last words—and not trusting herself to fling another look upon the two weeping dam- sels—the Duchess abruptly quitted the chamber. Seeking the private staircase, she descended it quickly, and passed out of the side-door into the grounds. Wo one observed her egress: and the two maids remained together in the chamber, weeping bitterly at the mournfal circumstances under which they were thus suddenly deprived of a mistress whom they loved, and whose conduct had been uniformly kind towards them. Meanwhile Lond Clandon, as the reader will recollect, had returned to the apartment wherein the Duke had locked himself,—his nephew’s object now being to report that Mrs. Bailey had gone without the Duchess, and to obtain farther in- structions. In about ten minutes Lord Clandon issued forth again; and summoning a footman, desired him to go and give immediate instructions to have the plain chariot gotten in readiness. He then ascended to the room which Eliza had so recently left—and knocked gently at the door. The summons was at once anawered by Jane, down whose cheeks the tears of affliction were still flowing fast. ea en 2-0 ow +E Gg .c anime o® + -- — more 2 © me © eee + oy oe we ob mmm an ed ow ap ees tle eb 39 “TI wish to speak a few words to her Grace,” said Clandan, the expression of whose countenance was deeply mournful. “ Her Grace, my lord, is gane,” answered Jane, “Gone ?” ejaculated Clandon, in astonishment. * What mean you ®? No equipage has de- “ Her Grace would not have @ carriage,” re- joined the lady’s-maid: “she is gone away on ¢"" “On foot?’ echoed Clandon, with continued amasement. “But where? whither? What pur-. pose has her Grace in view ?” “All this, my lord, I know not,” answered Jane. “Her Grace bade us farewell—and de- pare” as I have told you.” Lord Clandon descended the stairs slowly, and in profound mental deliberation. Again he knocked at the door of the apartment in wuich the Duke had shut himself: but this time the key turned not in the lock. From within however the Duke demanded in a voice which sounded irritable and etern, “ Who isit? Wherefore am I thus inces- santly disturbed P”’ “It is I, uncle,” antwered Lord Clandon. I insist!” exelaimed the Duke frow within. © Give orders, Hugh, that no one comes to me. I would be alone—entirely alone !” Lord Clandon dared not speak another word; and hastening away from the door, he was about to summon a domestic, when he beneld his own valet Travers the stairs. “ Go and eounter-order the travelling. carriage,” said Clandon, “which a few minutes back I com- manded to be got in readiness.” “ Yea, my lord,” asid the valet: and he hurried off to execute his master’s instructions. It was now six o'clock in the evening; and the guests were all grouped in the drawing-room, discussing in whispers as much as they knew ot, what had taken place. Some were suggesting the propriety of thelr dopectare, at their, mcastne and taking their departure, as their under exis as an indelicate intrusion. But othere reeom- mended that no precipitate steps should he taken, as after all it might transpire that the Duchess had been wrongly judged, and a complete recon- ciliation might take place betweeu herself and the Duke: for they knew not that Elisa had already left Oaklands. - In the midst of these whisperings, Lord Clandon entered the drawing-room; and the guests per- 66 Her ting circumstances might be sogarded ceived at once by his countenance that something — terribly decisive had taken place. He expressed his regret that anything should have occurred to mar the pleasure which had hitherto prevailed at the mansion; and he delicately yet plainly inti- mated that an irreparable breach had ‘arisen be- tween his uncle and the Duchess—that the latter hed left the mansion—and that the former, over- whelmed with affliction, had shut himself up in the solitude of his apartment. The guests longed to hear more explicit details: but good taste pre- vented them from putting any questions; and they now saw that there was nothing for them to do but to order thoir carriages and separate oa whi wie _ (GO) an (C DOO Col