The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

yea Dn a Sp Sg SS Ss Spl lS HE MYSTERIES OF TEE COURT. 196 turough the apertmentsa, when her ear distinctly caught the sound of « foot-fall in the corridor leading to the ante-room. She rose up gently from her seat— she stood ia readiness te secure the door—and again she listened. Yes—she was not deceived: footeteps were approaching slowly, and as if the individual were advancing in a manger that was rather deli- berete than actually cantious,;—fur though the steps seomed measured, yct the tread might have been lighter. Those steps ceased at the door: then she beard the baadle turn-<he door opened slowly— whoever he was, closed the door and advanced far- ther into the epartment. Then Mrs. Broughton more wildly then before: “ wheream I? what doss it all mean ?” “One moment, my lord!” quickly responded gtasp, she opened the door leading into the bed- chamber The light of the candles flooded forth upon the cougbton had comprehended it all in an in- sten}:—the Earl of Castlemaine was a somnam- lost not a moment in turning the key in the lock, | bulist! taking it out, and sesuring it about her person. This being she listened in the expectation that the intrudes, ming » But no such thing! He apoke not a something word; aod she heard his footeteps continue to ad- vance, as if he were either totally .unconscious or elee reakices of the presence of auotber person in thas dark room. Then she grew frightened: she knew not what to think: there was something ter- ribly myaterious in the entire proceeding. A cold perspiration brake out ppon her. forehead: she felt - the blood cardling in. her veins. But this panic on ber part was only transient: naturally a strong- minded woman, she quickly renonered her eelf. posasesion; énd she followed in the footeteps of the intruder, for the purpose of clatshing him by the and hin to apesk. Bust then the “My lord,” she hastened to eay, taking him by the hand and compolling him to sit down on a chair ing alarmed, would say or do ‘in the boudoir, but near the ppen door of the bed- chamber, “ compose yourself—tranquillise your feel- ings, I conjure you! Ob, my lord! you ouglit to be happy—for—for——yuu are not dishououred! Do you nat understand me ?” These last words she had uttered im a whispering voice; and Lord Castlemaine,—who, for the previous few momenta had been gasing in a sort of wild vacancy and appalled stupefaction around him,— was suddenly galvanized by the thrilling cunviction that it sent in tu his very soul. He starwd up into tha full vitality and keen perception of tullest wake- fulness: bis countenance became animated—juy, wonder, and exultation expanded thereon — aud then wildly orying, “ Yes, she is innocent! she is 60 deeply absorbed in the mystic parpose for which | ‘“ Pardon, my angel—pardon!” he exclaimed, as he had come, he was too suddenly startled into the he threw himself upon bis knees by the side of the consciousness of detection, he might deal her a blow—-he might use violence to cssape—he might do bera mischief. So she resolved to wait a few snomente and aseertain what course be was about to chamber,—sehe herself not crossing the threshold, adopt, but sitting down in the darkness of the buudoir, sue could. wept plenteously for very ,vy. Her mistress was innocent—and ahe was happy, this guod wumana! ——Oh, supremely happy! Several minutes e before ahe could so far collect her thoughts aud compose her feelings as to remember thet she had loeked the quier door and had secured the key in her pocket. Ah! there was no need now to retain the intruder captive and extort from him a promise that he would not re- visit the place; for never was intruder more wel- come, or never more certain to come back again, after the scene of reconciliation which ahe knew full well was at that instant taking place in the | bed-chamber adjoining. The sounds of impassioned courage, atretohed and clutching him by his thought flashed to hear mind, thet if being | innvcent!” he rushed into the bed-chamber. gatuients, spid in e quisk firm voies, “No! whoever ' stretching his arms, he caught violently bold of Mrs. Brough- ton, exclaiming, “ Who are you? where am I ?”’ | Heavens! it wae the vawe of the Karl of Castle- maine himself ! “Ob, my lord! my lord!” cried Mz. Broughton, a sudden thrill of exultant joy passing through her entire frame as she was smitten with the conviction of her lady's innecence: “ pardon me for the way ZI epoke—parden av for my rudeness in laying bands upon you~" “ Geod God! wheve am I?” exclaimed the Karl, It might be supposed thet, after the long illness whiok the Countess. of Castlemaine had experieneed, this epeme with her husband would prove (co mach for her, and that she would faint away beneata ite Ear = =—-— wes aE e CO IMULUG C) DOO CS (COL