The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 394: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Andrews ceased; and Sir Johii Steward, greed bnatching up a pen, exclaimed, “ Now—now I wi do that which is the first step towards cuttlhg you, Edgar, off for ever—and then shall follow the sig- nature of my will! ‘You have got that deed also, Mr, Andtews—eh P” Scarcely had the attorney answered the question in the affirmative, when the door was burst open, and Laura rushed into the room. The poor gitl was like one demented: her hait was floating all dishevelled over her shoulders—her apparel was in disorder—it was even torn ih two or three places: in a word, her whole appearance indicated the desperate struggle which she had made to cecaje from her sister and the egress. And Mra. Oxehden herself showed signs of her frenzied efforte to hold the persecuted pit! back : for she came rushing in with her own hdir dll disar- ranged, her toilet in disorder, and with fury flash- ing front her large dark was confusion in a moment: the horrible negress followed Mrs. Oxenden into the room—some of the servants, likewise, from the landing—the butler and the other dothestic who had beeti called as witnesses, sprang up from their seats—the lawyer seemed stricken with dismay—and Sir John Steward gave vent to a terrible imprecdtion. But Edgar Beverley, bouriding forward, received Lauta th his arms. | “Save née! save me!” she wildly shieked forth: “for heaven’s sake dave tie !”—and as she clung in frantic terror with her dims thrown round her lover’s neck, she flung frightened giances over het shoulder at her,sister and the negress. Logs “Give her up, Mr. Beverley!’ cried Mrs. Oxenden, éeizing upon her sister. “No—hever, never to you, File profligate wretch that you are!” thundered forth the Ifeu- tenant, snatching the maiden violently from Mra. Oxcnden’s grasp ;—and holding the former as it were on one side, with his upriised right arm hé protected her from another attack. “ Dare not to lay a finger upon her!” ke cried: “for I will strike indiscriminately !——Yes, by heaven! I will strike you down, woman though you Be !” “Seize u her! seize upon that obstinate girl!’ vociferdted Sir Johii Steward, thus ad- dressing hiineelf to his dependants, and stamping his feet with rage. “A hundred guineas to be divided amongst you if you do my bidding !” “No, no!” wildly shtieked forth Ldura, as there was a genetal rush towards thé spot where ahe clung ao tendciousy to Edgar. «Really my dear Sit John,” interposed Mr. Andrews, “I am afraid——” ‘* Silence, sir !” thundered thé Baronet: “ it {a my will that rules here !” | And 0 it did indeed too fatally seom; for what was Boverley’s strength, encumbered as he was too by the very being he sought to defend, against the overwhelming power of numbers? Besides, he was constrained to linit his resistance within cer- tain bounds for fear of injuring the now almost fainting girl; so that in leas than a couple of minutes after the order fad gone forth from the infuriate Sir John’s lips, the lovers were sepa- rated—Bevetley wis again in the grasp of the dotmestics—Laura id the powdr of her ister and the negrese. 387 The scene in that drawing-room was now fraught with a vivid and most varied isitetest. There stood the lieutenant, his ente torn—his coun- tenance pale as death—his lipe white and quivering —his chest heaving and falling with rapid pant- ings after the violence of the str and in the continued excitement of his own agitated feelings. Ou the other side of the same oxtromity of the apartment was Laars in the prasp of Mrs. Oxen- den and the negress: the poor girl had not abso- lutely swoorted — but half dead with mingled distress and tetror, she had sdnk upon her knees, find her eyes were fixed in a sort of despairin ewllderment upon het lover. At the table Sir John Steward, with a didbolic ion of coun. tenance, resumed thie deat from which he had sthrted; and the lawyer, bending over towards him, whispered, “ For hedven’s sake, do hot carry till this too far |” | “Now,” exclaimed the Baronet, not Heeding the attorney’s well-meant remonstrance, but giving free vent to his vindictive rage arid his feelings of ferocious triumph, “instead of having 4 couple of witnesses to this documetit which disinierits my nephew, we will havpadosen. Look, Edgar! the pen is in my hand—the ink is in the pen—-the deed is before tie! At this instant you are my heir—the next moment, when my nanio is signed; you will have no more claim upon my property at my decease than the veriest stranger !"’ “Do your worst!” ejaculated Beverley. “I call every one to witness that I care not the valne of the very pen which you hold, for all the estates you possess! But it is the safety and happinces of this injured, outraged young lady——” “ Ah, but she shall beeomie my bride in spite of you!” vociferated Sir John, who was perfectly tnad with rage: “and this hand which is about to write the wotds that will leave you a bepgar, shall hold Aer’s at the nuptial ceremortly !” “ Remember, Sir John,” exclaimed Edgar, “ that heaven at ally moment can paralyze and wither the hand which is atrotched forth to do injastice or mischief.” “ Siletice, wretch! I defy you!" vociferated the firiciis Baronet: antl again dipping the pen deep down into the ink-stand, he was about to apply it to the foot of the disiriheriting dosument. Bat all in a moment, as he half raised himself up from his chair to leat the more conveniently over this table, he was seen to give a quick spasmodic start—the pen dropped froth his hand, blotting thé paper with ink—but in tho twihkling of an eye the sable stains were mingled with dun- guihe oneé: for the blood gushed forth from Sir John Steward’s mouth—his head fell heavily for ari instatit upon the table—then his balance was lost—tind he sank backward into the arm.-chair. Cries of horror burst forth: the attorney and the butler hastened to his astistance—but he was past all hunian aid—in thé madness of his fury he had broken a blood vessel—and it was a ocorpee that iny back in that chair! Thus all in an instant the poor ahd hamble lieutenant wo was about to be disinkorited —cast off—persecuted—and robbed of the maiden of his devoted love, became Sir Edgar Beverley and the possessor of isiriende wealth. qu. (COL (C DOO CS (COL