The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

@iamee we ~ oe ew = preceding chapter, Lady Saxondale learnt from her maid that a foreign gentleman who gave no mame, had that afternoon called upon Adolaide, and that he remained a considerable time. Her ip inetantaneously suspected that this must F if | very likely the Count de St. Saxondale was fully ticulars of Adelaide's for all the This i JP f i E F t : F é : if rastrust; ° sadueed ber to undertake the task now sesigned On the following day Lady Saxondale procured from Lord Petersfield such a document as Adelaide had stipulated for. She to his lordship that inasmuch as it would be itopossible to carry out a suit for the dissolution of the marriage, in purposed to proceed thither,—having resolved to dissemble her hopes and sims until her husband ahould be restored to her, so that no suspicion “* ADELAIDE.” Having sealed thid letter, and addressed it to the Count de St. Gerard at the hotel where he was taying Adelaide gave it to her own maid (the one r) ame ee mf wre — 219 eee THE MYSTBRIES OF THE COURT. who had accompanied her from Paris) with in- structions that it should be immediately sent to the post. The maid, on descending the staira, perceived several letters lying on the hall-table, and which wero likewise left thero to be forwarded to the post. Acoordingly, to save hersclf trouble, she placed amongst them the one which Adelaido had just given her. Lady Saxondale’s maid was upon the watch; and within a very few minutes that particular letter was in the hands of her mistress. Lady Saxondale, on at once perceiving that it was addressed to the Count de St. Gerard, was seized with the exultant hope that she now held in her ion the damning proof of Adelaide’s infidelity to her husband. She opened it very cautiously, in case there should be a necessity to seal it again and transmit it to the Count instead of retaining it in her own hands: and well was it that she took this precaution: for its contents afforded no such evidence as Edmund's mother had hoped to scquire. But it was scarcely of lees im- portance: for it revealed to Lady Saxondale the existence of some concerted plan, having for its object the emancipation of her son. It by no means suited her purpose to intercept this letter altogether ; as by #0 doing, Adelaide might suspect by whoee means it had been prevented from reach- ing him for whom it was intended;—and such an occurrence might lead to an open rupture between Lady Saxondale and her daughter-in-law. She therefore secured the letter again with the utmost carefulnessy and her maid restored it to the pile lying on the hall-table to be forwarded to the post. Early on the following morning Adelaide took her departure into Lincolnshire. One of the travelling-carriages was placed at her disposal: she was accompanied by her own maid, and at- tended by a footman who was assigned for this service. Thus Lady Saxondale made every ar- rangement that might lead Adelaide to suppose her desirous of maintaining as friendly a demeanour as could possibly subsist between the two under such circumstances ;~and indeed, from the moment of the reading of the letter, there was nothing in Lady Saxondale’s manner to indicate that she had discovered aught of Adelaide’s intentions with re- spect to the liberation of her husband. But no sooner had the equipage rolled away from Park Lane, than Lady Saxondale ordered another carriage to be gotten in readiness—and drove at once to the office of Mcesers. Marlow and Malton in Parliament Street. Mr. Marlow was in his private room, and thither hor ladyship was forthwith conducted. “T have called, my dear sir,” che said, after an exchange of the usual compliments, “to infornt you that Edmund must be removed to another asylum with the least possible delay.” “Indeed!” ejaculated the lawyer, looking slightly vexed at this announcement: for, as already stated, Dr. Bardett was related to him by marriage—and he had e that his kinsman would reap the full benefit of Lord Saxondale’s alleged lunacy. “ I hope your ladyship has heard nothing to render dissatisfied ——” “With Dr. Burdett? No—certainly not,” in. terrupted the lawyer’s clicnt. “ But I have received positive information—no matter how—that a plod oo ae Oe ee, eee ll =e _ ee ee time Neer ee ee ee ies Ge <b ¢: oh ° wr oe 2 em ee o- 2 eh» © REAR 240 == . a Gb oe | (COL (C DOO CS (COL