The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 400: what you’re looking at

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aya: THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. 899 No: there was something terrific in such a course ~-something outrageous to every proper sentiment —eomething against which evet every feeling of pro- priety revolted. Then, what was he to do? This question kept agitating in his lordship’s mind, as he stood deliberating at the window. There really seemed to be only this plan :—that the veil of should still be kept drawn over the tre- mendous guilt of Lady Saxondale and Lord Ha- rold Staunton, so far as exposure to the world was concerned ; but that measures must be adopted to foree Lady Saxondale to go abroad, and for ever— eo that no more interviews should take place be- tween herself and her lawfully born offspring, William Deveril. As for Staunton, he likewise must be compelled to depart to some distant clime, with a warning that his only hope of safety lay in making this self-expatriation eternal. Such were the resolves to which the Marquis of Eagledean came: but while explaining them to Mr. Hawkshaw, he did not of course make the slightest allusion to the fact that William Deveril was Lady Saxondale’s son. “ My dear friend,” he said, “I accept the alter- native which your noble generosity and that of Mr. Denison has left open. There are too many on whose innocent heads the effect of all this guilt would terrifically redound, to permit an exposure to take place. The veil of secrecy must not there- fore be lifted from that dark tragedy. But at the same time, if we forbear from handing over the criminals to the grasp of the law, we must not suffer them to escape without some chastisement. ‘We must force them into exile, to different parts of the world—with the warning that all this for- bearance will cease if they ever set foot upon the English soil again. Come, my friend—we will de- part for London: we will go together and see these guilty beings———I hope for the last time!” Mr. Hawkshaw expressed his readiness to ac- company the Marquis, and indeed to yield to his Lane: the driver of the vehicle thorefore received orders first of all to proceed to Dr. Ferney’s dwell- ing. In due time this destination was reached; and the physician alighted at his own door. As he was about to take leave, it ocourred to him that having been most liberally treated by the Marquis in respect to the amount of the fee placed in his hand immediately after the consultation at Eden- bridge Park,—he was bound for courtesy’s sake to offer some little apology for what might appear a most rude neglect on his part in respect to a cer- tain matter, but which he had his own good reasons for having hitherto eo long remained silent upon. He was standing on the curb-stone, looking into the vehicle where the Marquis and Hawkshaw re- mained seated. Hands had been shaken, and fare- wells eaid—when that thought to which we have just alluded, occurred to the physician. It wasa most disagreeable—a most painful topic, for him to touch upon: it revived so many afilicting asso- ciations ;—but still he felt himself bound, in com- men eourtesy, to say a word upon the subject ; and he summoned up all his fortitude for the purpose. “‘ My lord,” he said, “I have not forgotten that a long, long time ago you honoured me with a call, and brought me a phial the contents of which you requested me to analyze. On three or four ooca- sions after that, your lordship called again, to iu- quire whether I had made the analysis; and I feel ashamed when I reflect that I continuously answered I had not as yet found time. Your lord- ship suddenly ceased from calling altogether; and during the lengthy interval which has passed sinco then, I have often feared you might have felt offended with me. When therefore I received the letter inviting me to Edenbridge, I was gratified by the thought that your lordship was not “No, Dr. Ferney,” interrupted the Marquis of Kagledean ; “I had ceased to think of the matter :” views in every particular. While refreshments | —though the real truth was that after the dis- were served up to the Squire, Lord sought the Marchioness in order to inform her that : business of a somewhat urgent nature, in which , his friend Hawkshaw was concerned, was about to take him to London, and that he should not pro- bably return until the following day. Mcanwhile the consultation between Dr. Ferney and the Eden- bridge surgeon had terminated—the physician had recommended the mode of treatment which was the best for adoption in respect to the invalid-——and he was now about to take his departure. Ast matter of course, the Marquis offered him a seat in his own carriage to the railway-station, which Dr. Ferney accepted. The physician thus became a fellow-traveller with Lord Eagledean and Mr. Hawkshaw to London: for when the station was reached, the Marquis could not possibly express a desire to separate from Dr. Ferney’s society in the train,—though in his heart he would much rather have travelled alone with Mr. Hawkshaw. In about an hour and a half the metropolis was reached; and as they were all three The conversation had all the while been upon in- different topics—so that Ferney had not the slight- est idea whither his two travelling-companions were actually bound. Conduit Street, where the physician dwelt, was all in the way towards Park Eagledean ; covery of William Deveril’s parentage, hig lordship had taken no farther step to penetrate any deeper . into Lady Saxondale’s guilt. “I can assure you I have not been offended; and as the interest at- tached to that phial has passed away, you need not suffer it to remain for another moment in your thoughts. And now farewell.” “ Farowell, my lord,” answered Dr. Ferney. “Can I tell the driver whither he is to convey ou P” 7 “To Saxondale House, in Park Lane,” responded the Marquis. The mention of that name, so closely following upon the discourse relative to the phial of poison, struck the physician as something not merely acci- dental, but superstitiously portentous. It gave a most poignant keenness to all the memories which had just been excited in his brain: the effect pro- duced upon him was that of a sudden shock: he started—turned deadly pale—and then stood gazing in a species of ghastly consternation upon the Mar- going to the, quis of EKag West End, they took a vehicle at the terminus. | “ Heavens! are you ill, Dr. Ferney P” exclaimed the nobleman, who, as well as Hawkshaw, was as- tonished and affrighted by the physician’s looks. “Yos—I am ill—I—I feel——very ill,” gasped Ferney, ecarcely knowing what he said, and ac- tualy experiencing the most sickening sensations. 7 (GO) iC C) DOO CS (COL