The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

208 THR MYSTERIRS OF THE COURT. mad—I come to make you a proposition—listen | house, and that you had turned his wife out of the to me in patience for a few minutes if you | house Here Adelaide rould not suppress an involun- Adelaide was so amazed by this proceeding thai | ‘ary ejac -iat:a: but as it was brief and curt, it she had not at firet uttered a word of remark ir. respect to the way in which Lord Harold counter- manded the proposal of the domestic to bring up lights; and now, as he gave rapid utterance to those excited words, she instantaneously compre- hended the error under which he was labouring, and that he fancied he was addressing himself to the Dowager Lady Saxondale and not to Edmund’s bride. She accordingly held her peace; for the suspicion was strong in her mind that she might probably hear something which would be of ser- vice to hor ;—and at all events, her curiosity was strongly piqued. Harold, firmly believing that he was alone with the Dowager Lady Saxondale, in- terpreted this silence as an encouragement for him to proceed : and indood his feelings were too power- fully excited to allow him to pause for any serious “ Kverything has failed, Harriet,” he wont on to say, still speaking rapidly. “I followed your in- structions in all things—I went to Saxondale Cas- tle—I found the man Chiffin there, concealed in the eloister opening from the chapel ; and together did we penetrate into your bed-chamber. One of your maidse—Lucilla, I think—was sleeping there ; and we aiarmed her desperately. But I procured the bottle of poison, and departed. Oh, what glorious visions then danced in my imagination! Methought I saw myself a:ready Marquis of Eagle- dean: but the whole plan failed—I scarcely know how—suffice it to say that it did. I saw my uncle: it was under circumstances of such a fearful cha- racter that we met, I was for the time crushed and spirit-broken: I was converted into the veriest dastard and coward. He upbraided me bitterly— he menaced me with an eppeal to the Court of Chancery to cut off the entail of the estates—he threatened me with exposure if I failed to do his . You are listening attentively ?”’ Adelaide, who was indeed listening in utter amazement, as well as with the liveliest interest, made a movement as if to bid him proceed: but she said not a word. “ Well then, you hear me,” he continued in the same excited manner as before: “ you see that I followed your instructions, and that everything failed. The Marquis lives: my hopes are defeated -~—your revenge is ified. He ordered me to repair to Sweden; and I quitted him with the in- tention of doing so. I think I promised that I would—but I scarcely know what did take place on that frightful occasion. I came to London half mad; and in that state have I remained here for the last ten days. I feured to disobey him: and yet how could I obey? I understand his conduct well—I know what he means—lI can real it all. He to out his threat—tv appeal to tiie Court of Chancery: and he thus ordurod me to a distance, that I might not interfere with his plans. Therefore it is ruin for me to obey his mandate; and I know that it is equal ruin for me to disobey. I tell you again, Harriet, I am half wild! My nights are sleeplese—my days are one long agony. At longth—thie afternoon—I learnt by accident that you hed suadenly returned to Londoa. I learnt too that Edmund is in a mad- SEP ear ae FF @eP & 2 Pe -@e = | did not betray the different tone of her voice from | sont of the Dowager Lady Saxondale. “You are surprised at what I tell you,” ob- served Harold: “but on my soul, I was not pry- ing into your affaire—much less watching your movemente! I will tell you how it was. There is an old man in the City—a money-lender, named Musters; and he has a nephew who is a clerk at Marlow and Malton’s. They do not know that this particular clerk is his nephew—and hw let it drop inadvertently while conversing with me ere now. Well, I went to him to obtain some money ——in a fit of desperation, Harriet, I lost the other night at the gaming-table the whole of the thousand pounds you so kindly gave me at Beauvais ——But I find that I am speaking disjointedly and in broken sentences—you see how agitated I am! However, as I was saying, I went to this Mustere—and he told me that you were in London: he told me too—but in confidence-—what hai taken place, or was intended to. be done in respect to Edmund and his wife. Not a shilling could I obtain from old Musters: he was liberal enough with his garrulity, but inaccessible with regard to his money. However, the intelligence I received that you were in town, cheered mo some- what; and I rushed off to come hither. Harriet, I have loved and I have hated you :—-I have tasted the joys of paradise in your arms; and yet I have at times menaced, coerced, and upbraided you. But now I feel that I do love you-—that you are necessary to mo—that it is imposaible I can remaia separated from you! Have I not every claim upon your consideration? I need not allude far. ther to that which has s0 mysteriously and terribly, but yet so firmly knitted together certain trans actions of our lives. I do not come to use threats, Harriet: I come to make a proposal, and to back it by entreaties and prayers, if it be necessary On your answer depends my fate. If you refuse, there is no alternative but for me to hasten away to Stockholm, and leave myself entirely at the mercy of my uncle. But no: I feel convinced you will not drive me to this! You will give me your hand—you will let me become your husband in name, as I have already been in fact: and then may I not merely hurl deflance at the Marquis, but together we may concert the means of carrying out that which failed the other day. Then, Harriet, you will be the gainer as well as I: you will beeome a Marchionsss—and as you ere ambitious, I know that such an elevation above the already high rank you bear, will not be displeasing ; while as to wealth, you will enjoy far greater riches than your jointure affords. Now, Harriet, I have spoken candidly: give me your Harold ceased ; and there was a long interval of silence. He naturally conceived that the Dowager Lady Saxondale was pondering upon his worde— re roaty Adelaide wae still prey to « de gree of amazement amounting almost to a stupe faction. In a few brief minutes the most astound- ing revelations had been imparted to her. Her husband's mother was the igatrix of a mur- derous plot against the life of the Marquis of (GO) iC 5 DOO CS (COL