The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 363: what you’re looking at

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

2 mse, NGG sean ncn i rare a er I RS, Ts SPE een? empnSSAS?SSPOS-SRSRS c S 2 SS S s s age 352 THE MYSTERIES. once comprehended that you, Mr. Eaton, were the object of that remorseless vengeance of which Fernanda had spoken to me in Fore Street; and it struck me that you had been the victim ef a slow poison. Bat who had administered it? Did not the death of William Dudley afford the key to the solution of that mystery? Yes—'twas your own valet whom the she-wolf had employed to carry out her revenge: and the murder of the man, whom she had made the agent of her iniquity, was calculated to servea double purpose. It removed from the world an individual who could tell dis- agreeabie truths concerning herself—and it fas- tened upon you acrime which, the demonuess hoped, would send you to the scaffold. All these ideas sprang up in my brain, and assumed the regular order of a continuous chain of events. I saw and comprehended it all—motive and deed, cause and eflect, action and aim! But my thoughts, when once pursuing such a channel, were not likely to stop half way; and then was it that other suspicions sprang up in my bosom. Mrs. Lindley was mur- dered on the same night as William Dudley. Why not, then, by the same hand? Yes; for the motive that would prompt the expediency of clearing the she-wolf’s pathway of the valet, would suggest the prudence of doing the same by the midwife. Both were the depositeriesof secrets which they might reveal in the hour of remorse, or let slip in the moment of inadvertency; and the lady's ruin was constantly hanging as it were at the tip of two tongues. Away with them both !—silence them for ever!—and Fernanda is safe! Such was, no doubt, the reasoning of the demoness—that unnatural mother who had assented to the death of her new- born child! You appear impatient, Mr. Eaton; but I shall not detain you much longer with my ex- planations and commentaries.” “ No—I am not impatient at what you are say- ing, Miss Walters,” returoed Arthur: “but I am excited—irritated—indignant when I reflect upon the weakness and folly which ever prompted me, even for a moment, to think of saving that woman and sacrificing myself!” “Ah! well you may repent such intervals of unjustifiable leniency !” exclaimed Caroline. “But I was explaining to you, sir, how the inquiries which I made yesterday afternoon in the vicinage of Cavendish Square, turned all my thoughts into those channels which Jed me in a few minutes to fix upon Fernanda as the heroine of the two stu- pendous crimes with which yourself and I are severally charged. A change took place within me. I saw the possibility of rescuing my charac- ter from the hideous suspicion that was attached to it—and I felt a sudden yearning to throw off the loathsome reputation of a murderess. The hope of accomplishing this end became all in an instant blended with the previously-existing de- sire to humble that arrogant patrician lady and that haughty aristocrat who had closed their door in my face. I went back to their mansion—I de- manded admission—I was shown into their pre- sence. The conversation which ensued was pregnant with evidence that all my suspicions had flowed into the proper channels and were taking the right direction. The assertions 1 boldly made ~—the reminiscences I conjured up—the charges of guilt and turpitude at which I more than hinted, all touched the most excruciating chords in the hearts of that nobleman and his wife. But I need say no more: Fernanda is the mur- deress of William Dudley and Mrs. Lindley *” ** Yes—it must beso!” murmured Arthur Eaton: and she will expiate her crimes upon the scaf- fold! Her husband, too, along with her—the father of those beauteous girls, Octavia and Pauline,— he also will be doubtless implicated——” “And our innocence will be made manifest,” observed Caroline. ‘Now, Mr. Eaton, shall we not co-operate in bringing about a result that will lift the weight of infamy from our heads and rescue our names from execration ?” “ Assuredly, Miss Walters,” was the response, de- livered in a firm tone: “for, as you remarked ere now, our interests are at present identical. And to prove to you that I accept your co-operation as frankly and sincerely as it is offered, I will confide to your ears the narrative of the persecution which I bave experienced at the hands of Lady Holderness.” The Honourable Arthur Eaton then detailed those particulars which are already known to the reader,— how he had discovered the receipts for the Heir’s Friend and the Antidote at Mra. Lindley’s house— how Bradford, the celebrated chemist of Bond-street, had tested the nature and effects of these prescrip- tions—how the antidote had checked the wasting malady and brought back health—how Fernanda and Dudley had entered his room at night to con- summate the crowning torpitude— how he had suffered the lady to depart—and how the valet, after confessing everything, had become truly re- pentant. Caroline Walters listened with the deepest curiosity ; and, as the reader msy suppose, every word that fell from Arthur’s lips confirmed the opinion which she had already formed with regard to Lady Holderness. The turnkey soon re-appeared to couduct the young woman back to the department of the gaol in which she was lodged: but the promise of another fee elicited from the official a pledge that she should be allowed to re-visit Arthur's cell on the morrow. CHAPTER CCXVI. TITE FAMILY VAULT. . Iw one of the most beautiful parts of Warwick- shire stands the ancient village of Bellenden. Nothing can be more charmingly picturesque than this lite group of habitations, situated on the gentle slope of a hill, and embowered as it were by stately oaks and chesnut-trees which had flourished for ages. The tower of the old church was covered with ivy; and the sacred fane itself was larger than such edifices usually are in country places. The cemetery was crowded with tomb- stones, some of them so old that the inscriptions were entirely effaced by the hand of Time: indeed, it was universally believed in the village and surrounding district that Bellenden church was one of the most ancient in the whole kingdom. It was about two o’clock in the afternoon, when a travelling carriage drove up to the door of the Bellenden Arms, which was the name of the village . tavern. There were no heraldic blazonries upon the panels of the vehicle: but the plain equipage ecomilcooolks