The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

a THE MYSTERIES. “Qh! Mr. Meagles, you will not betray mo ?” she cried, a gleam ef hope appearing upon the vountenance that an instant before was eonvulsed with indescribable terror. But before Meagies had time to utter a word in response to that appeal, a rustling amidst the evergreens of the shrubbery was heard, and the form of a man sprang forth. “Ah! it is you, Francis !” ejaculated the Countess of Desborough, as the moonlight fell upon the features of her husband. “Yes — J followed you, Eleanor, thus far on your path of vengeance and of daring,” replied the Earl, in a voice that was thick and hoarse ;—“and I remained close at hand to protect you in the event of a straggie with your enemy.” “And that enemy — he is no more!” said the Countess, in a low, deep, and solemn tone. “ But you, Mr. Meagles—how came you here?” she de- manded, turning abruptly towards that indi- vidual. “My object was of a friendly mature towards you, unhappy lady,” replied Tim, on whose counte- nance were yet depicted the traces of that horror with which the shocking deed had inspired him. “Suffice it to say that I accidentally learnt Ram- sey's intention to pay this neighbourhood a visit to-night: and believing his object to bode no good to you, I followed him all the way from London and watched him hither. But would to God that Thad attended to my own business instead!” he added bitterly. “Mr, Meagles,” said the Karl, taking Tim’s hand and pressing it forcibly, “you must not betray this frightful secret! That villain has only met his righteous doom. Alas! you are not ignorant of the fatal power which he exercised over my unhappy wife—you are acquainted with the tre- mendous secret of that influence! Know, then, in addition, that the miscreant’s last act of despotism was the endeavoar to extort a large sum of money as the price of his silence: and my wife, unable to endure that continued “God knows that there is extenuation enough tor this crime!” ejaculated Meagies. “But terrible dangers now environ me!” — and he hastily ex- plained the nature of his position, as we have already detailed it at the opening of this chapter. “Then what is to be done?—what would you advise?” asked the Earl, trembling from head to foot. “Oh! do not imagine that punishment shall be allowed to overtake the innocent, Mr. Meagies !” exciaimed the Countess of Desborough, with a sudden presence of mind and a moral courage that sprang from a heroic resolution to dare and suffer all the consequences of her crime. “I have not been bold only to perpetrate the deed: but I will continue bold to avow it !” “ No—never, never !” groaned the unhappy Karl, wringing his hands deapairingly. “And I say never, never also!” exclaimed Mea- gies, who, in spite of his horror at the deed which she had just committed, could not help admising the Countess for her resolution to screen thé in- nocent and suffer all the consequences of her tur- pitade. ‘‘ We must remove every trace of the fearful tragedy,” he added; “and leave the rest to chance. Does your lordship feel equal to the : his voioe sank to a low whisper, which seer mingle ominously with the rustling leaves. “ Yes—I will assist you,” returned the man, scarcely appearing to be aware of w! was saying or doing. “Then your ladyship will hasten tn-door served Meagles, “and assure yourself th; night's proceedings have passed unnoticed a suspected.” “ Let the Earl go home,” said the Counte: will remain here and assist youin conceali traces of my own work.” “No, no !” ejaculated Meagies, impat “Your absence will be remarked—whereas 1 the Earl will excite no particular attention as | say, madam—or I wash my hands « business.” “You shall be obeyed, Mr. Meagiles,” sai Countess: then, grasping his hand.and str: it with force, she whispered, “My honow safety—my life, are now in your keeping —~ “And they are safe with mo!” was the s and impressive rejoinder. As the moonbeams fell fully on the pa upturned countenance of Lady Desborough, gles.saw that she fixed upon him a look of ix gratitude ;—and he experienced a cruel shoc @ poignant pang at the thought that so sple creature had perpetrated such a crime! “Now, my lord,” he hastened to exolaim, turned towards the Karl, “you must lose no. in procuring a spade, while I will undesta drag the corpse from the spot where it is lying to this shrubbery—and there will we bur The Countess took her husband’s arm an him rapidly away towards the mansion, — Meagles, after throwing a look of piercingsa: around to assure himself as far as he was abi the coast was clear, advanced towards the where the corpse lay. Naturally courageous and undaunted tk he were, he could not help shuddering as hi proached the inanimate form that lay upo: dewy sward ;~—and a sickening sensation took session of him, as his looks fell upon the pal blood-stained countenance of the dead. Fe contents of the pistol had penetrated the br the victim; and the forehead seemed en shattered. Bat that feeling of mingled terror and sit of the heart was only transitory ;—and, witl other searching glance thrown around the Tim Meagies began to drag the corpse toward ‘shrubbery. This portion of the task was soo complished ; and, having opened the gate, Me drew the body inside the enclosure. The Earl of Desborough had not as yet r peared ;—and it suddenly struck Meagles there might be some papers or letters of sequence about the person of the murdered He accordingly stooped down and examine pockets. <A packet of documents, tied wi piece of tape, was the fruit of this search ;- Meagles unhesitatingly took possession the But neither the purse northe watch of the deci did he touch : had Ramsey’s pocket been lined precious stones, Meagies would have shrur loathing and scorn from the idea of self-approp ing a single one of such gems. task of assisting me to bury that corpse??—and| Almost immediately after he had taken po emeeeceneneepwenetecyerement eer re AOOLK AUC