The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 397: what you’re looking at

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

228 MYSX ERIE. I never lost sight—namely, my revenge! Deter- mined, therefore, to be enabled to convince the syren lady at any moment that I was acquainted with her secret, I took the opportunity to cut away a small piece from one of the curtains surrounding the bed, and another piece*from the window drapery. Then, while you were sleeping and the lady had withdrawn, I effected my departvere from the mansion. The rest of my narrative may be disposed of in a few words. You weat to Dover— you wrote to London to order me to repair thither —and I soon ascertained that the Unknown was likewise a resident at the sea-port. Xour meetings continued to take place under the anme veil of mystery that had shrouded themin Leadon. On an unfrequented part of the sea-beach you were wont to meet the tall domestic at night time: then your eyes were-Sandaged—aod you were comdacted to the house which the ladyhad taken in a secladed spot outside the town. In ashert the you took me into your complete confidence—you revealed to me the fact that you intended to marry the Un- knowa—eod you explained to me all the stipula- lations which she had made relative tothe mystery that was to enshroad her name and Hkewise re- tain the veil over her countenance until efter the nuptial knot was tied. Then did the ies strike me that the affair was at length taking-.a tern .cal- culated to suit my own pugpouss; and I resolved to pat my ingenuity to the rack, strain every nerve, and direct every artifice tewards the aceom- plishment of my ead. This was to become Lady Florime! instead of yoer epren chareser: and scarcely had I formed the idea, when I already pictured to myself the rage and despair, the fary and the affiction thatwould esise upen you when the cheat was discovered. The time emme: you sent me on befere you to London 10 settle all the sequisite arrangements for your bridal—and I need net pause to-zemind you hew aecarly | succeeded, in bevoming taiiesolably yeers! Had it not been for the sedden eutranees of the maniac wretch who subsequently died of hydrophobia— ‘or had he even thus barst in upon us a few minutes later—all would have been over! But fate willed it otherwise—and doubtless the. sesult,:as it did occur, was for the best.” “ But the Unknown, Caroline—the Unknown ” exclaimed Florimel. “How did you contrive to take her place ?—what has become of her ?—and who is she 7” “By the knowledge of her secret, and by dis- playing one of the pieces of drapery cat from the curtains in the boudoir,” said Caroline, * I was enabled to overce her at will. After the failure of my strategem, and when I fied precipitately from Mrs. Brace’s house, I wrote a letter to the Un- known enjoining her on ‘no account to attempt a renewal of her eonnexion with you, if she valeed her reputation and her bonoer: for that I woald mercilessly expose her if she dared act in contra- vention to my commands.” “But wherefore did you adopt this couree, Caroline?” inquired Florimel. “Surely it would ‘have been a pleasurable spectacie to yon, ere the change came over your vindictive frame of mind, to behold me rush headlong into the vortex of in- en and folly by marrying that. unknown y “No, Gabriel: I feared that if you married her, ee she would indeed be able to persuade Cieorge Woodfall to abandon the law-proceedings insti- tuted against you: and then, previously to the re- covery of the documents from Rigden, your case was hopeless in the extreme. I have now told you overything—I have explained all. Having for & eeenon pursued you with unrelenting rancour— having eolaed upon every opportunity to strew your path with thorns aad raise up difficulties around you—I am now brought, by the imminence of death, to that frame of mind which renders me truly ceatrite and penitent for the past. Though deep were the wrongs whith I sustained at your hands, I onght to have @atered myself to pardon them—or at least to bear them resignedly, tustead of seching a detestable revenge.” “No, Caroline—now yeu are falling into ex- tremes,” cried Flevimel. “I behmved most vilely > you—and you woald bare heen @aficient in a proper spirit hag you met emarted under my con- ductend sought the means.of revenge. Bat, your explanations age not quite complete: you have forgotton to same the Unknown——” *I am growing faiat, Gebricl—mytirength is exhansted,” merasered Caroling, in a dow end tremulous voles; “a dimness comes over my cyes—— “ But the aame, Caroline~—@he Unknown * whis. pered Florimel, in as urgentés menmer as feelings of propriety and delicacy weuld permit him to adopt ander the circumstanees. “Bend down your head—aearer--—cioser, Ga- briel,” said the dying girl, ina still lowes and fhintes voice. “Letme impring one last kiss uper your cheek———Pauline herself would not be di were she here now —— there—‘tis the kies ef com, plete reconciliation——” “ And you pardon me, Caroline?” guid Fisrimel, tortured with suspense to have his other query an swered., “Yes—.God knows how sinocrely i pardon you, was the gentle and scarcely audible response : bat the glazing eyes looked up withe-dst expiring fondness at the young nobleman. “ And the name——the name of the Unknown” he-eaid, in an agony of suspense. “Ah! I had forgotten,” were the words what wavered upon the lips of the dying girl: then, witlr a last effort, she breathed a name in the ear of Fiorimel, and fell back senseless upon her piliow. At the same instant it-_ happened that the suxgeon, followed by the nurse, entered the chamber: and upon beholding the state in which Caroline-was, the medical man hastened to adopt restorative means. These succesded in bringing her back te life, but not to consciousness: and, in answer to & question whisperingly pet by Florimel, the surgeon. said that she might haply linger on a few hours— bat that her existence could not possibly be pro- longed to days. Sad and sorrewing did Lord Florimel throw a farewell look-upon the unfortunate young girl whom he had knows ee beautiful, bat who now lay.there ike a lily which the rude hand of man had: plucked from the stem of Ks pride and the garden of its purity, and thrown aside, crushed and sullied, when the sense was sated with its despoiled loveliness. A fearfai pang shot through the heart of the young nobleman as he thus gased upon that form which he had once clasped, glowing and impassioned, & DOO aaa? et aa SS co