The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

310 THE MYSTERIES. ee things, Fanny,” interrupted Frederick Dray. “I am | yet effervescing to her paramour. The man took it in not ignorant of what you have had to contend with | his hand and raised it to his lips: but some indeacri- on that score.” bable feeling of nansea and loathing prompted him to “ Yeo—and on othars likewise,” added Mrs. Brace, | repel it—aad hastily giving back the glass to Mrs. with a tone of bitter amguish. ‘‘ Surely you have not | Brace, he said in a shuddering tone, “By heavens! I forgotten those two vile women who Came some weeks am very fil.” The milliner mow once more urged upon him the “Elizabeth Marks and Poll Price, I think they | necessity of going to bed; and Dray yielded to her called themselves —eh?” observed the ex-footman. | persuasion. It was with some difficulty that he “Well they asked us about Mobbe—and if it hadn't | could asvend the stairs: a violent headache and an been for your coursed trembling and stammering, I | increasing sense of weakness combined not only to should have thrown them completely off the scent.” | distract him but also to paralyse his physical ener “ How absurdly you talk, Frederick,” eaid the mil- | gies. But when once he had laid aside his apparel liner, in a low and hollow whisper,-—“ when you aeust | and had retired to rest, he felt eomewhat better. remember that those women already knew too much | Still, however, he refused to have any professional ad- —thht they had heard from Mobbs sufficient to con- | vice or take medicine; and in a few minutes he fell vince them that Gramiey had expertenced foal play | asleep. beneath this roof———-Nay, more,” continued Mrs. Brace,| Mrs. Brace, who had assisted him in ascending to horror convulsing her form and rendering her coun- | the bed-chamber, now retraced her way down stairs tenance hideously ghastly,—— “they said they could | to assure herself, according to custom, that the even point out the place where Grumley was in- | house was all safe ere she retired for the night. She terred-—" dismissed the servants to their respective rooms— “ Well—and you gave them five hundred pounds to | locked up the plate and wine—and was about to re- make them hold their tongues,” interrupted Frederick | join her paramour, when a low double knock at the Dray. Nothing was more simple: “they came to ax- | front door fell upon her ears. tort money—they had us in their power—your fears She started and shuddered all over—for the guilty confirmed all their suspicions—and eo we were obliged | comecience is as ensily ruffied by the most ordinary to shell out.” ciroumstances as the aspen by the gentlest breezes - “And think you that those women will not come | bat recovering her presence of mind, she proceeded back again?” asked Mrs. Brace. “I tell you that we | te answer the summons. are surrounded by a myriad dangers—that perils and On opening the front door, she beheld by the perplexities of all kinds environ us—and that they | lamp-light a black youth dressed in the apparel of a will gradually close in upen us im such a manner as to | page, and who immediately inquired in a soft musical render escape impossible. My God! you see, Fre- | voice “whether he had the pleasure of speaking to derick, the change that care and terror are working | Mrs. Brace.” The milliner responded in the affirma- in me! I cannot conceal the trath from myself—I | tive; and the sable visitor thereupon besought a few an getting prematurely old—and in a few months I | minutes’ private conversation upon a matter of some shall become faded, decrepit, and gray as a woman of | importance. sixty—I who am still in the prime of life! Let us leave Engiand, then, ere it be too late: let us proceed to America while we have yet enough left to convey us thither and establish us im seme business on our CRAPTER (XeIL arrival. Here—in this country—we are = constant RAD AND THE MILLINER. prey to the extortioner. Thoge women will return— depend upon it, they will retarn shortly ;—and Har-/ Mrs. Brace at once led the black page into her riet will likewise prove a drag upen us. Say, then, | parlour, where the lights were still burning upon the Frederick—shall we fly together ——”" table; and haying requested him to be seated, she “Give me four-and-tyenty ‘hours to comsider upon | could not help admiring the great beauty of his per- it, Fanny,” exclaimed the ex-fbotman; “and most / son. The symmetry of his shape was admirably set likely my decision shall be in sccordamce with your | off by the livery which he wore; and there was an wishes. But this cursed uneasy feeling is grewing | sir of gracefelness and gentility about him which was upon me 80 repidly———* well calculated to interest even the most callous ob- “You do indeed look very unwell,” observed the }werver. His hair was of the giloasiest sable, but fine mifliner. “Shall I send for a doctor ?—or will you | as silk: and it showered in a thousand ringlets over go to bed and take séine medicine ” his sloping shouldem. His large black eyes beamed “Neither,” returned Dray. “I mistrast docters / with the fires of intellect; and between the scarict ami cant bear physic. Perhape it is the excitement | lips the teeth shone like rows of pearls. of that cursed gaming-table; and a good night's rest | Rao——forthe reader has doubtless experienced no dif- will take it all away.” ficulty in recognising Lord Florime!’s sable page in the “Ah! a good night's rest,” murmured the unhappy | person of Mrs. Brace's visitor—Eao, we say, seated him- woman, with a profound sigh. “Would to heaven | eelf in compliance with the invitation so courteously that I might enjoy one! Bat let me offer you a giass | given. But whether he f&lt somewhat embarrased at of wine—some of your favourite champagne,” ¢e!:: , the earnest attention with which the milliner surveyed hastened to observe, peresiving that Frederiok’s bros . him from the moment she escorted him into fhe room grew overcast at the renewal of her melancholy |—or whether it were a purely accidental ciroum- musings. . stance, we cannot say: sare enough, however, it was “ Yee—give me a gins of champagne,” he said, | that scarcely had he taken a chair when he turned pettishly : “I oan bat see what it will do for me.” himself round in such a manner gs to place his back The millimer rose from her seat—encorked a bottle | to the candles. His looks then wandered rapidly of Epernay—and, filling a giass, presented it while | over Mrs. Brace’s countenance and entire form ;—and = | LR ARRAS, pease SSS SSS ees setasessesessnen GOH GOO