The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 366: what you’re looking at

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

en THE MYSTERIES. ¢ 855 the curious particulars I have this day gleaned from some of the patriarchs of the village, I shali cause the vault of the Bellenden family to be ecamined and the register of deaths to be searched.’ —Upon hearing these announcements, I respectfully but firmly ex- plained to his lordship that he was welcome to con- sult the registers, but that he could not be permitted to break open the family vault of the house of Bel- lenden, without a proper authority or permission.— * Well, you are quite right to act cautiousty, Mr. Roberts, exclaimed the Earl, with an off-hand manner and indifferent tone. 7 will apply to the Lord Chancellor for an order to open the vault ; and I will send down agents duly authorised to carry this aim into effect. The exumination of the registers can stand over until the same opportunity. Indeed, it will be better that the same persons should conduct both investigations, because there will then be only one set of witnesses, and consequently a saving of expense. I presume, Mr. Roberts, that when I do thus send my agents dorcn, you will throw’ no obstacle in their way.’ —I answered that I should obey any official mandate or proper authority in re- spect to the opening of the vault; and that as for the registers, any one was at liberty tb inspect them on certain terma—‘ The truth is, continued the Earl, who seemed resolved to be communicative, although I can assure your ladyship there was nothing en- couraging in my manner towards him, ‘a great deal—indeed, almost everything on the Marchioness of Bellenden’s side— depends upon a particular con- veyance deed which she has put into Court. This deed is alleged to have been signed by the late Mar- quis of Bellenden's father fifty years ago—that is to say, inthe year 1745. But according to what I have been able to glean from one old man of eighty- our, another of seventy-three, and a third of sizty- nine ‘the particular Marquis of Beilenden alluded to died and was buried at least two years before 1745; and my informanis are enabled to speak thus positively as to dates, because that of 1745 was the year of the Great Rebellion. If, therefore, it should transpire that the late Marquis's father did really die in 1743, and not in 1745, then the convey- ance deed which Lady Bellenden has filed in Court must be a forgery, because tt purports to have been dated and signed in 1745,.’” “Lord Montgomery was very kind and con- descending to narrate all these particulars,” ob- served the Marchioness of Bellenden, who had com- mitted to her tablets every sentence and syllable uttered by the clergyman, “ Did he tell you any- thing more, Mr. Roberts ?” “His lordship merely said that if he had appeared strangely “commuuicative, it was only because he was conducting the law- suit in an open, frank, and candid manner, and he did not care {f all the world knew each successive step that was taken in it, so far as he was concerned. And now,” added the Rev. Mr. Roberts, “that I have told your ladyship all that passed between the Earl and myself on the occasion referred to, I will hasten to make the necessary preparations for your visit to the church.” * ‘With these words the reverend gentleman took @ temporary Icave of the Marchioness, who now remained alone in the parlour at the inn, Fora few minutes she reflected profoundly upon all that she had just heard: then, as a smile of triumph appeared slowly upon her beautiful _sPpearos Lowy Spon er Deaubhs Sountenance, confidential domestic, In @ word, I have found | she murmured to herself, “The victory shall be mine—and Eugene Montgomery shall sink hum- bled, terror.stricken, and a miserable suppliant at my feet.” Having thus expressed the feeling that was uppermost in her mind,—a feeling which certainly savoured more of vindictiveness than was quite consistent with her character for Christian bene- volence and pious resignation,—the Marchioness of Bellenden rang the bell for her confidential domestics. Of these two individuals we must say a few words. The female attendant was a woman of about fifty years of age—still retaining the traces of great beauty, and wearing a matronly appear- ance of the highest respectability. In fact, her looks, her style of dress, her manner, and her speech, all seemed to denote a sedateness without hypocrisy, and a deep sense of religious febling without fanaticism. The footman was a tall, handsome man, with a dark complexion and a serious look. He was -about forty years of age: his figure was finely modelled, the stalwart proportions being blended with masculine grace;—and his demeandur was altogether superior to his situation. He seemed older than he really was on account of the air of extreme steadiness which characterised him, and which was the dominant impression that his ap- pearance made upon the mind of any one who saw him for the first time,—so that it was necessary to look as it were beneath that aspect of sedate- ness to discover that he was in reality a very handsome man. In a word, judging from their external appearances, the female attendant and the footman were two do~ mestics of the most respectable class, and precisely euch as a widow-lad y of excellent reputation might be expected to have in her euite. We said that the Marchioness of Bellenden, soon after Mr. Roberts had quitted her, summoned thoes’ two dependants to her presence ;—and perhaps the reader will expect to be iffformed that on entering the room they still retained all the cold reserve of mannfr and ceremonial rigidity of countenance which invested them with so decorous an air of sedateness. No such thing! The instant the door closed behind them, their appearance changed as if by magio; the matronly demeanour which was so {mposing on the part of the female, and the serious look which gave such an air of respectability to the man, were thrown off all in a moment, and with an evident feeling of relief at passing from a condition of stadied restraint to the relaxation and abandon- ment of temporary freedom. “What news, my dear?” demanded the female, with a mingled curiosity and friendly interest in her voice and manner; and she took a chair without waiting for either invitation or permission to be seated. * Yes—what news, Laura?” inquired the footman, flinging himself upon the sofa, stretching out his legs, and passing his fingers through his wavy and perfumed hair. “Has Parson Roberts been able to give you any particulars jn addition to what you already knew?” “Many — and all most important, my dear Richard,” replied the Marchioness, who was evi- dently accustomed to this familiarity with her two confidential domestics, “In a word, I have found GOH GOO SS