The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

@; ow ie RL ST a aI Ta TS aC A Ta acta THE MYSTARIES OF THE COURT. 826 man to whow, notwithetanding all his crimes, her heart was devoted. It was now communicates to- a'l the domestics and to the surrounding tonantry that our young eopeotfal Duke of eereh mont. He received their mage with a becoming modesty; and he gave osders that the funeral of the deesased hasband and wife should be con- ducted with all possible privacy. They were in- terred in the family vault of the village charch ; and thus terminated the career of a man whoee life was full of misdeeds, and of a lady whose soul was spotless. Wilson Stanhope, Mrs. Oxenden, and Armytage were released from their captivity, according to the Queen’s promise; and they all three had their own good reasons for maintaining a profound silence in to the transactions in which they had played a part at Oaklands. Madame An- gelique executed a deed, which Mr. Coleman drew up, transferring the balk of her property to certain charitable institutions in the is; and she was then suffered to take her departure from Oak- lands, bitterly repenting that she had ever mixed herself up in the affairs of the late owner of that mansion. The Barker was conveyed away secretly, and under circumstances of all possible precaution, by the two Hindoos; and in a deep disguise, as well as under a feigned name, he was pleased on board a abip bouml for the East Indies. The embalmed corpse of Sagoonah was interred in the ehurchyard of the village of Oaklands. We have purposely avoided entering as yet into any details calculated to clear ap the mysteries attending the fate of the Duchess Elisa after her fight from Oaklands, os well as the birth of her twin children ; because we shali presently have to describe the whole of the evidence which was given before a Committee of Privileges by the House of Lords to investigate the claim of Christian to the Marchmont Peerage. But before commencing those important explanations, we will lay before the reader the substance of the confes- sica made by the deceased nobleman, in the eence of Mr. Coleman, Purvis, and the ph and which the solicitor duly committed to In doing this, we shell have to make repeated references to the opening chaptere of our narra- tive; and it would therefore be as well if the reader would here cast a glance earliest portions of the story which related the loves of Bertram and Elisa. Soon after the marriage of the Dake of March- the year 1820. There they were joined by Lord Clandon and Bertram Vivian. The singular beha- viour of Eliza and Bertram to each other, myati- Ged Lord Ciandon, who was perfeotiy ignorant of the loves of his brother ani Elisa when they were at Oxford—-as indeed the Duke himself likewise wes. Lord Clandon fancied that Mrs. Bailey, as @ relation of the yonthful Duchess, rnight possibly be in her Grace's confilence, and therefore be en- abled to thsow some light on the matter which : ik f Olandou; and the youth of the Duchess seemed promise that it might not be unproductive issue. Thus if an heir were boro to the title Bs of the hope of having legitimate progeay from his i Ie was of the highest importance for is object : for the success of the measure would leave his atill heir- presumptive to the title and estates af Marchmoat; and so long as he had there praspecte befure him, he could He therefore lost no time in patting his evil Projects in a train of oparation. He threw hin- in the way of the Duke, and insinuated bia- self into his Grace's confidence. Thoroughly vereed in all the arte of hypoorisy, he affected mild, submissive, and deferential manner while time he played hie paré so well thas he scemed to be as much ewayed by affection towards his brother as by a esteem for the Duchess, and by love, gratitude, and veneration for sue uncle. The Duke listened to him with a thankfal confidence; while Clandon affected to believe that the conduct of Elisa and Bertram towards each other arose from an excess of prudence oa the part of the former, and an extreme seusitivences on that of the latter. He proceeded opportunities of eultivating @ friendly inticsaey. C => _ _~ (COLL OOO SS} (COLL