The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 306: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES. cad 293 gave it to Lord Desborough, who hurriedly perused the contents. “Now are you Satisfied, Francis?” she asked: and taking back the note, she delibe- rately lighted a taper and burnt it. “¥ did not doubt your word, Eleanor,” said the | Earl: “but IF was astonished at the vifllany—the nnitchiess viltany—of this wretch who sceks to turn ‘ juto a source of gain and profit the inmmeasurable injary which he has inflicted upon you. Oh! my dear wife, this is an affair which must be left to mo —this is a matter which I alone can settle! And depend upon it that the reckoning shall be fer- rible———” “Once more, Francis—and let it be for the last timc—I tell you that the affair is mine, and I alone can settle it!” interrupted the Countess, her voice, her manner, and her looks, all denoting an irrevo- cable decision. “Decide then, my dear husband— decide: which shall my doom be—that of a self- destroyer or of an assassin?” “ Great God! we must not have recourse to such shocking expedients!’ exclaimed the uobleman, shuddering to the innermost recesses of his being. “Tet us yield to the wretch’s extortion—let us cumply with his demauds—and let us live on m the hope that his persecution of you has indecd ended. But should he again seek to molest you, Eleanor, then—oh! then, I will urge not a syllable against any course which you may decide upon adopting.” | “No reliance is to be placed upon that man,” said the Countess, in a voice which showed that her resolution was unalterable. “The same diabolical spirit which urges him to practise extortions now, will only be sharpened and not appeased, strength- ened and not satiated, by our concession. If we yield to-day, we may expect further demonstrations of his power to-morrow: if we show ourselves weak and timorous, he will become proportiunately bold and merciless in his demands. No—we must put an end to this state of things, which I at least can endure no longer. There was a time—but a short while ago—when I should have shrunk in dismay from the thought of suicide, and in horror from that of murder. But now, so desperate have grown the circumstances of my position, I can con- template them both with calmness. Do not you, therefore, discourage me, my husband: but rather inspire me with firmness, if any be wanting on my part, to perform one of those deeds either of which has become a duty. Yes—and whatever be your decision, you will screen me! If your judgment be self-destruction for mo—if you would rather lose your wife altogethcr, than let her live asa murderess—you will not allow the world to know that I took poison. But if, on the other hand, you decide that I shall live——” “My God! my Gol! you are driving me mad, Eleanor!” exclaimed the wretched nobleman, as he pressed his hand forcibly to his throbbing brows and Jeant against fhe mantel-piece for support. “ Do not talk thus dreadfully—do not abandon yourself to the fearful thoughts which are whirling you along with their eddies.” “Oh! you must be calm — you must be calm, Francis!” cried the lady, taking his hand and press- ing it to her bosom, “Those wild and passionate ejaculations on your part—thcse entreaties so una- vailing in the face of my unalterable resol ve—those earnest prayers and anguished cries, only add bitter- ness to a scene which is already a crucifixion of us both! Come—be bold—be firm —be courageous, my dear husband; and prepare to give that detision which now alone is wanting to dirett me in one path or the other.” “ And aré you thus determined, Eleanor?” asked the unhappy nobleman, scarcely abte to belfeve in the frightful truth which was now present to his con- ten plation. “ I take heaven to witness that my resolve is uhal- terable— my miud unchangeable!” answered the Countess, in asolemn tone. ™ There—feel my hand: does it tremble? No. And my heart palpitates with violence no longer. I am calm—TI am tranquil —I am even happy in the certitude of being released, by one means or another, from an intolerable tyranny. And remember, my dear husband, that if you doom me by your decision to suicide, you will yet remain alive to endure that persecution whence I shall have escaped by the avenue of self-destruction.” * No— no— my Eleanor — my loved one,” ex- claimed the Earl of Desborough, whose feelings were harrowed to a frightful degree of poignancy,— “you shall not die! What, you-——-so young—so beautiful—so full of all the freshness of youth and the vigour of health, — you to die so soon — you to perish thus early—and by thine own band,——Oh! no—it must not be! You shall live, my worshipped Eleanor—live to triumph over this enemy of thine; —and since I see that thou art resolute, Eleanor, I will take courage from thy determination—I will ac- quire firmness from thy equanimity. Live, then, my Eleanor:—live!” repeated the Earl, with a sort of enthusiastic devotion to the very crime which had horrified him a few instants before: “ live, I say—and let thine enemy —thy fierce, merciless, diabolical eneiny perish as he deserves |” “Oh! now thou art deserving of all my love!” excluimed the Countess, throwing herself into the artos of her husband. amino aman CUAPTER CZECVIIL THE LAST MERTING. Sincr his return to England Tim “eagles had re- moved his horses from Lady Lade’s stables to the mews whero he had always becu wont to keep them prior to his temporary expatriation : for the Amazon, faithful to her determination of leading a prudential life during the period of her mourning, was unwilling that any circumstance should seem to indicate the renewal of a too familiar connexion with Meayles. Hence the removal of his stud back to the mews where he had been wont to contract for their keep. The proprictor of that stabling establishment was in the habi€ of letting out post-chaises and vehicles of all kinds ;—and it happened that about threo o'clock in the afternoon of the same day on which the scene in the, preceding chapter oc- ‘curred at Stamford Manor, a gentleman entered the mews and ordered a post-chaise to be got ready to take him to Aylesbury. Now, at this particular moment Tim Meagles was in the stable where his own horses were kept; and he overheard the instructions just giveu by the gentleman, The voice instantencously strack him as being that of Philip Ramsey; and the sus- GOH GOO SS mn i(GQ