The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 273: what you’re looking at

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266 is dear to mo: I had vowed also to do my best to! parted from her with the most affectionate and save Miss Marshall’s;—and shocking though it were to adopt such a course, it was absolutely necessary to suffer one life to be smothered away, rather than ensure the certain taking of tfroo—and lively demonstrations of gratitude. In order to finish this episode without the necessity of recurring to it, we may as well ebserce that in the course of a few weeks after one of these two my own! The wild cry which jthe ‘tragedy in:the forest, the innkeeper and the burst from the landlord’s lips bore to my eass"the conviction that he had just then discoverail ‘his horrible mistake; and while that cry was ‘yet ringing through the house, the body of gendarmes gallopped up to the door. Not an instant Bid I lose in speaking to them from the window, snd imploring succour, as murder was ‘being tiene beneath that roof: and it must have'been Provi- dence itself who sent them at ‘that critical mo- ment to bait their horess at the nm,—<forti was the means of ensuring our safeby.anil uprosiimy a nest of assassins.” But little mere remains to be toll im order .to make the reader’ fully : with: the details stateenent of amewf ‘fie “eniletecrs St-was gpébhera kesper's ~wife, “bemg wenppletely overcome with ‘liguer, was ordered by ‘her hubband to -get- upto bed, -s0 "Gat the house might ‘be quict and the murderems scheme carried. into execution as soon an possthls. It was but too tiear’ that the misexibie woman staggered mto the fivet chamber to tho doer éfwhich her uncertain steps brought her; wes enly awakened for a few ewSft brief pasting moments, to strugglo.amd avrifkhe -mn death-agonies beneath the bolster whith ‘her aniscreant’ husband retained with tremendams “ferce over ‘her counte- mance. There can be 2#tle doubt that on her eeasing to move, he felémmonget her garments for the purse which he supposed to be concealed. there ; and that the texture ofthe raiment suddedly sent the hideous, horrible, ‘dblasting conviction ‘to his mind that it was his own wife whom he hed thus asaresinated ! All the depositions bemg duly taken down in the presance of the Megor, Miss Marshéail inti- matéd, through the mediam of the i ; that it was of vital cemseequence for her to be allowed to-continue her journey to Madrid; and she therefore hoped thatthe purposes of justice might be served without amy farther detention on her part. This request was promptly acceded to, —there being ample evidence against the asoused fo ensure therr conviction. The Mayor was 00 much pleased -with the conduct of Paquetta throughout the -tramsactien, that he -introdaced her to his wife, #ho to take her into her service in the capacity of jady’s-maid. The girl, being. an orphan, aud -entirely dependent on ‘her own resources, joyfully and gratefully accepted: the proposition. Before parting from Paquetta, Kate Marshall—speaking by: means of the interpreber— offered to make here present of as large a sum from her purse as she coukl possibly spare :. but the young Spanish girl replied, through the same medium, that there were.services which one fallow- creature could remier:to another of too holy and sacred a character to be recompensed by gold; and that the service she had been enabled to afford Mise Marshall was one of these. In short sho positively declined to accept anything; and Kate Co renee two muleteers expiated their crimes upon the scaffold,—-death bemg inflicted by the infamous process Wii tise gerdbte. ry weep CHAPTER CXLIV. HR MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. KatTu Biawswart arrived safely in the Spanish smepitel: amd teek up her residence at a modest bat sespectable tavern to which Count Christoval had directed her amongst other parting instruc- tiens evhith he“had given her in Catalonia. One of the primagpal reasons which he had for recom- mending teer to this hostelry, was that the land- being a goulzweartel oman, was certain to afford Zt was might When ‘Kate arrived at Madrid on on the following saermaggaiike repaired, with the hotel-porter as har guide, to the residence of the ment on learning that this nobleman had left the dsy before for Paris, in company with the Mar- chioness; and that they were likely to remain ‘abeant for six weeks—even if the Marquis should return to that diplomatic post at all, he having the prospect of a higher and more lucrative appoint- ment. This was a terrible blow for poor Kate: sho knew not what to do: but dispirited and de. sponding, she retraced her way to the hostelry. She was not however a young woman likely to abandon herself to utter despair ; and though seri- ously afflicted, she summoned all her energies to her aid, that no time should be lost in adopting some specific course. She sat down and wrote two beseeching. his advice—the other to the \Marguis ef Villebelle, which, at the Jandlady’s suggestian,- sie addressed to the care of :the Minister of Bereign Affaire at Paris, it being certain that to ‘this fune- tionary Villebelle’s first visit would be -péid on his arrival in the French capital; and-as he was:‘nes hkely to travel day and night without intermission, the letter would im all probability reach ite dosti. On the followmg day ikate hail ‘the satisfastion of receiving a latser from Don Ohristoval at Bap. celona,—written hosvever before. he could of course have received her's. It was:to the effect that he had completely succeeded with the Oaptain-General in procuring 2 respite-for Edward Russell until the result of her proceedings on her lover's behalf should be made knewn. Dean Diego moreover in- formed Kate that the Captain-General was vested with sufficient euthority to extend thie respite for three weeks, which. he had mo doubt would be done; and therefore the Count expressed a hope that inthe interval dfies Marshall would find her endeavours crowned with complete success. The intelligence thus conveyed in Count Christoval’s COMMUC DOO CS (COL