The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

ad 43 really innocent: his soul yearned to think her so—his heart bled at the idea of ite possibility, and at his own implacable harshness. An idea struck him. He went forth from the room, and inquired for Lord Clandon: but he was informed that Hugh had gone Then the Duke Jane, her Grace's prin- cipal lady’s-maid, to be sent to him in the drawing- room. During the few minutes which elapsed ere the young woman made her appearance, the Duke of Marchmont composed his looks into an expres- sion of cold and severe dignity: for he was too proud to display before others all he felt. “Jane,” he said, as the maid entered the room with a sorrowful countenance, and with the traces of weeping still upon it, “ your mistress has taken her departure ?” “Yes, my lord,” was the response. “ Her Grace was very, Very unhappy———" “And whither has she gone?” interrupted the Duke. : “I know not, my lord.” “‘ But the instructions she gsve to the coach- man? You doubtless attended her to the car- “On foot?” cried the nobleman, in astonish- ment. | “Yes, my lord,” continued Jane. “ Her Grace said that she came to you without a carriage, and But the young woman stopped short: for recollected Mrs. Bailey's words and manner— and she trembled at the idea of pledging herself te a belief in the innocence of one who might after all be guilty. “And what else did the Duchess say?’ de- manded the Duke, witn the petulance of feverish | i “Her Grace bade me tell your lordship,” re- | just sponded Jane, “that you would find in her writing- deek the several documents to which her letter to your Graee made allusion—I mean the letter which Lord Clandon was good enough to take in to your | thi Grace.” “ Ab, that letter ! I did not———— But no matter !” and the Dake hastened abruptly from the room. Hoe ascended to his wife’s boudoir: he found the writing-desk—he knew it to be the one which her had placed in Elisa’s hands a short time after the funeral. It was unlocked: for the Duchess had purposely left it so. The Duke drew forth its contents; and Hertram’s letters to the late Captain Lacey, which he found therein, gave him s com- plete insight into, all those byegona matters to which his unhappy young nephew's agitated com- musicatvion from the village had merely made rapid and almost ineoherent allusions. The Duke was astounded : a veil fell from his eyes -—and in amorsent he comprehended the real mean- THE MYSTERIES OF THE t a little time previously. | an Gp pte cuca @ COURT. ing of that strange conduct which Bertram and Elisa had observed towards each other during the first few days of the young gentleman's visit to Oaklands. And he, the. Duke, had purposely thrown them together! he had studied to place them on a friendly footing! Ah, if he were dis- honoured, he had indeed, though unconsciously, author of that dishonour. But what in he had for the last quarter of an hour to pass, he now more than half believed. it not indeed potsible—nay, more, was it not probable, that Eliza had ten only weak, not guilty —and that Bertram’s vindication was true, .when it declared that under the influenes of irrepressible ings—not being st the moment taster of him- self—he had eaughé her in his arms The longer the Duke ht of thia, the more was he in- clined to put ‘in Berteam’s statement. The very ciredmatances ing the departure of his wife, as he had just heard them from Jane’s lips, ssemed to be tinctured with a dignity far more compatible with conesious innocence than with » sense : tay been come Was : but what its nature was, we have at present no means of describing. Suffice it to say that at the e 1 mae sno ER gu I SS a ee re . - ae | AS Rr eee KK q ° — -—aep (GO) an (C DOO Col