The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

a a THO MYSTERIES, 58 ; tifal cousin Laura—eviaced so decided a spirit of | ments in a tin-box under my bed——Ah! what de Oe her owm that my mother could not bring ber to any terms, nor induce her to listen te reason; and the law-suits were accordingly renewed, as you just now expressed yourself, after the temporary sus- you want, Rao?” demanded the young nobleman suddenly interrupting himself to address that ques- tion to his black page, who bad glided with his usual nolseless step into tha room, where he had indeed pension.” remained unperceived for upwards of a minate. “ And that reuewal took place twenty years ago—| Thesable youth made no verbal reply, but handed did it not ?” inquired FlorimelL his master a letter upon a silver salver: he then “Yes—and consequently when I was ten yeass old and my brother Raymond two,” said Earl Montgomery. “Our mother revived the puocess on our behalf; and its slow length has been dragged along until the present time, my cousin the Mar- chioness fighting us step by step.” “ Did the Ayliners renounce their claims upoa that pertion of the Warwickshire property to which they had considered themselves entitled?” asked Lord Florimel. “ The affairs of the Aylmer family soon afterwards fell into such confusion,” replied Eugene Mont- gomery, “and death made such havoc amongst its members, that every claim seamed to be abandoned in that quarter; and the only representative of that family who was at last left, was a female infant of whom the Earl of Desborough took charge. This child grew up-—-~—” “ Ab—your cousin Fernanda. Aylmer?” exclaimed Lord Florimel “Or rather Lady Holderness,” aaid Montgomery. ** Well, within the last few manths she bas asserted her right to the portion of the Warwickshize estates previously claiuned by her family; aud thus the Aylmers and Montgomertes are once more battling with the Bellendens. Do you now comprebend the position of this very intzicate affair?” “ Perfectly, my dear friend,” answered Lord Florimel: “ you never explained it to me so lucidly and minutely before. But if you, your brotber Rayroond, and Lady Holderness all three suecead in these suits, the Marchioness of Bellenden will be completely stripped of all her possessions ?” “Exeept the income which she derives from a certain aum in the funds, and which produces her about two thousaad a-year,” said Lord Mont- mery. a And do you really expect that you will all three succeed in the law suits?” asked Florimel. “{ confess that 1 am very sanguine,” returned Lord Montgomery. “ My brother Raymond's rights to the Warwickshire estates are all but proven; and Fernanda will not experiense ‘much difficulty in making good the validity of her claina But my case, which refers, you must remember, to the Prory property, —isa little more complex. However, the Lord Chaneglior must decide upon the matter soon; and I shall be truly glad when all suspense is. over,” “I can well believe you, my dear Eugene,” said Lord Florimel. “For my pact, I would not have a law-suit for the world.” “And yet there are scarcely any title-deeds which do not contain some flaw or leaye some opening for uibble and aispute,” ohserved Montgomery, “ Jn- eed, some persona hold and enjoy large estates without possessing any fitle-deeds at all: for through the habit of entrusting such documents te one’s soli- | citor, they are frequently lost or destroyed by acci- dent———"” “And sometimes intentionally, no doubt,” added Flecimel, “But I keeo sil my papers and parch- bowed and withdrew as silently as he had entered. “ How long have you had that page, Gabriel f” inquired Lord Montgomery as soon as the door closed behind the object of this query, “Only a week,” answered the young nobleman. “I hope you had good references with him,” gaid Montgomery. “ Why sot” demanded Florimel, surprised at the observation. “Oh! I don’t know—twas an idea which entered my head at the tine,” exclaimed Montgomery. “ But the truth is, I do not like that noiseless way of gliding imperoeptidly in and eut of a room; and that bey made me almost shudder at the moment, as if it were a black snake creeping in with so much sinister mystery.” “Such a prejudice against poor Rao 19 ridiculous, Eugene,” cried Florimel, in a woe of remonstrauce: “ and if we were not intimate friends, 1 should really feel indignant at the unjust suspicion which your words imply.” “ Well, let us change the subject, ny dear fellow,” said Montgomery. “ What have you got there ?’’ he inquired, as Florimel opened the letter which had been brought in, “A card for a masquerade at Covent Garden Theatre,” replied the young nobleman. “ Who on earth could have sent me this?” he exclaimed, turu- ing the card over snd over in his handa, “Is there nothiug written inside the envelop tf asked Lord Montgomery, “ Nothing,” said Florimel. “And the address out- side is evidently penned in a feigned hand,” he added, scrutinizing the superacription with attention. “ But [ have not the least knowledge of this writing—not the remotest eus_icion——” “And yet the writer must be afraid of her pen- manship being detected,” remarked Lord Mont- gomery: “or else wherefore should she attempt to disguise it f° “ It is strange—very strange,” said Florimel, in a musing tone and with his eyes atill fixed upon the envelop. “The handwriting is evidently that of a lady, who has tortured its natura) fluency into a stiff and awkward scrawl.’ “ An intrigue is at the bottom of this Proceeding,” observed Lord Mantgomery ; “and you must g9 to the masquerade. Doubtless you have captivated the heart of some lady who mingles discretign with her gallantry aod conducts her amnours with precau- tion ; and ahe has therefore adopted these means of obtaining an interview with you. For my part—— But, by Jove! here is the black page again |” And Montgomery actually shuddered as he beheld Rao gliding noiselessly into the apar*reut like a black apirit. The boy stopped suddenly short asthe gaculstion airuck upon his ear; and his bleck eyes, ,fter dart- ing a keen afd peneigating look upon the nobleman who had uttered it, swept towards Lord Fiorimel, on whose countenance they remained fixed for a few moments; then as if satisfied by this scrutipy, o | —_aEEEne Ghee ElOOO® SS