The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

eo; eee THE MYSTERIXS OF THE COURT. Adelaide's trial in Paris, upwards of two years | 99 “ Yes—I have read it, every syllable !” “And the name of the Count de St. Gerard figured therein ?”’ “It did, mother. But what then? Was it not shown——”’ “ Never mind what seemed to be shown,” ine terrupted Lady Saxondale impressively. “TI tell you that the Count de St. Gerard was Adelaide's qa3 “If I thought it !’’ muttered Edmund, becoming pa.d as death. “If you thought it?” echoed Lady Saxondale. “TI tell you it is true! And what is more, that same Count de St. Gerard has followed Adelaide to England—and he has written to her.” “ Mother, this is some tale of your's to answer some new purpose !”-—and Edmund stopped short, for his teeth were set suddenly with a cold parox- ysm of concentrated rage. “Foolish boy! what object have I nove to gain in deceiving youP Am I not to leave Lincolnshire to-morrow—aend to quit the country in a few days? It is your very life which is at stake! I tell you the Count de St. Gerard is in England—and she who murdered one husband for the sake of her , will not scruple to do the same by an- other! Edmund, are you aware who was the author of your release from Dr. Ferney’s house ?” “TI don’t know,” quickly responded the young nobleman. “That man Chifin—— “'Yee—but by whom, think you, he was em- ployed?” interrupted Lady Saxondale. ‘The Count de 8t. Gerard! He was one of the two gentlemen whom you met in Hanover Square, where the was in readiness.” “Ab I" ejaculated Edmund, quivering from head to foot with a coldterror. “Those two gentlemen were muffled in cloaks: one was evidently an Englishman—the chee, I recollect, never spoke a syllable during the fow moments we were to- gether——” “ And that other who spoke not, and who stood a little aside,” added “was the Count de St. Gerard! Was he not a tall slender young man—about six and twenty—of very genteel appearance—and wearing a bluck moustache P” “True!” ejaculated Edmund, full of excitement. “ But how know you all this” “What matter how it came to my know.edge P” demanded his mother: “ you pesceive that what I tell you is the truth. Nay, mors—to can- didly, I intercepted @ letter from the Count to Adelaide——” “ Show it me!” cried Edmund vehemently: and still was he quivering with the excitement of his jealous feelings. “ Nay—I have it not,” responded her ladyship. “T resealed it, and suffered it te reach Adelaite’s hands. It suited my purpose to do this.” “ But what said the note?” inquired Edmund. “It was such as & paramour would write to his mistress: it was couched in the most en terma—it left no doubt in my mind as to Adelaide's guilt in many respects,—guilt as to the murder of her first husband—guilt as to her intercourse with St. Gerard—guilt as to her utter selfishness in invoigling you into a marriage—and guilt as to her intentions towards you!” eee « ee © me. eee - ® @ nee. SS Eee a a we Bae «© .ee 2 Ge « “ And those intentions?” demanded the young nobleman, trembling more than he had ever here- tofore done. Lady Saxondale bent upon him a fearfully omi- nous look; and in a low but impressive manner, replied, “ Her intentions are to treat you as she treated her first husband———to take you off by M4 {"* “My God!” muttered Edmund, staggering back with indescribable horror upon his ghastly pale countenance. “Yes—and the vile woman,” continued Lady Saxondale, inwardly chuckling as she eaw how effectively her words struck the unfortunate Ed- mund blow upon blow,—“ the vile woman has all along laughed at you!—she has ridiculed —she has mocked you—she despises and hates you. Her ur’s letter to her proved this much !”’ “ But wherefore did she not marry the Count de St. Gerard ?” demanded Edmund quickly. “ Because he was not rich enough to support her in the extravagant style in which she is ac- customed to live. She married you in order to obtain an income settled upon herself: and this she has got. Now—her purpose being fully served —ehe will make away with you, Edmund, that she may in due course become the wife of him whom she has all along loved !” ‘But, mother, what you tell me is horrible— horrible!” and Edmund literally shivered in the excruciation of his agonized feelings. “Oh, I will fly from her!———-No, I will order the lacqueys to turn her out——”’ “‘ Madman that you are!” exclaimed Lady Sax- ondale, catching him by the arm as he was spring- to the chamber-door: “do you think that a ily woman, such as she is, will not find means to acoomplish her purpose even though you eject her? Yes—rest assured that sooner or later you would be taken off by some meagps or another !” “My God, what am I to do?” and Edmund sank upon a chair, a prey to mingled feelings of jealous and horridle apprehensions. “ But why,” he suddenly exclaimed, “did she have me rescued from Dr. Ferney’s?—would it not have suited her purpose to leave me there P” “Must I explain everything, even to the mi- nutest details?” demanded Lady Saxondale impa- tiently: “can you not fathom anything for your- self? can you not a single one of her purposes? How could she make away with you while you were at Dr. Ferney’s? was it not abso- lutely necessary for her to have you with her? and does not the fact of St. Gerard being the real author of your liberation, prove the concert which exists between him and Adelaide? Nay, I will tell you more !—it was in consequence of reading the intercepted letter, that I discovered the plan which was contemplated for your deliverance ; and therefore did I have you hastily removed from Dr. Burdett’s to Dr. Ferney’s.” “Qh! what am I to do? what am I to do?” ejaculated the miserable Edmund, wringing his hands: then, in the abject wretchedness of his feelings, he threw himself at Lady Saxondale’s fect, saying, “Save me, mother! You toki me just now that you alone can save me !—pray do it and [ vill never go against your wishes any more ! ome “ When I reid that I would save you, Edmund,” . -—- oad —eD ap qr — 6 aw rw" (COL (C DOO CS (COL