The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 398: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. withstanding your coldness, have a heart that burns with fervour for you———” For a9 moment Christian Ashton was s0 com- pletely stupefied by these words that he was trans- fixed to the spot and rendered speechless. The next instant Mra. Oxenden’s arms were wound about his neck—sbe strained him to her booom— she pressed her lips to his cheek; and then an- other ipstant, and with an effort the violence of which when exercised towards a female, could only be justified by the peculiarity of the circumatances, our young hero disengaged himself from her em- brace. Mrs. Oxepden,—who was not to be a0 easily subdued, and who was really inspired with passion on account of the youth’s personal beauty, as well | trag qs influenced by policy in her endeavour to gain over Sir Edgar Beverley’s intimate friend,— despaired not of success. Her arte and wiles were to be redoubled in order to secure her triumph. Such was her thought: end falling upon her knees, she stretched forth her arms tow Chris- tian, exclaiming, “(Cruel youth! Why thus spurn a woman who is dying for you? Am I repulsive @—on the contrary, am J] not beguti- ul P” “ Will you leave me?’ demanded Christian vehemently: for he was detesmined that the scene should end that instant. “No, no—I will not!-and you cannot be so cruel-——”’ Our young hero waited to heer na more: but Griven almost to his wit’s end, he snatched one of the wax-lights from the mantel-piece and hurried from the room. Mrs. Oxenden—whose own gensyous temperament, vicious disposition, and long cereer of immorality, had hitherto rendered her incredulous in respect to the existence of virtue in otbera, and who believed that at least every man was “in his heart’s rake” (thus re- versing as to sex Pope’s memorable assertion), was astounded at (hristian’s abrupt disappearance : and it was now her turn to remain etupefied and transfixed on the spot. @Quaesee CHAPTER LXXVI. SHE ROBES. THe chamber which our hero hed juat left, was situated ina passage whence communicated the doors of several other sleeping-spartments, which he knew to be unocoupied. Into the first of these did he therefore plunge: but he closed the door with such rapidity that the current of air thus produced, extinguished the candle. Between the Openings of thé window-draperics the brightness of the night shone with sufficien$ cleaynees to show him at a glance that the bed was untensnted, as he had expected to find it: and he loa} not a mo- ment in locking the door, go as to preyant the in- trusion of Mra. Oxenden. He threw himeelf upon the bed, eng began to reflect upon thing that had just occurred. That she had purposed to play off the artillery of her wiles upon him, and ensnare him into an amour, he could not possibly doubt; and he had therefore no difficulty in conjecturing her motives. There was her passion to gratify-—-and there were 891 her interests to be seryed. At any time, and under any circumstances, be would have loathed the woman who could have thus meretriciously sought to throw herself info the arms of a com- parative stranger who had given her not the slightest encouragement: but his abhorrence was unspeakably enhanced when he reflected that it was in the house of death that Mrs. Oxenden bad thus given way to the influence of her passions and to the current of her worldly interests,—in a house too, beneath the roof of which her own iu- nocent sister was reposing—and at a time when only twenty-four hours had elapsed since this self- same mansiqn had proved the scene of a frightful edy. Yea: our hero experienced the deepest loathing—the intensest abhorrence—for that un- principled and unscrupulous woman; and he re- eolyed to communicate everything to Sir Edgar Beverley in the morning. He lay thus reflecting for perhaps a quarter of an hour, when he thought that he might just as well disapparel himself completely (for be was only half undressed) and retire to rest. This he accordingly did: but when he had entered the couoh on which he had been previously lying, it was still some time ere slumber began to steal upon his eyes. He was just in that state when the senses are rocking themselves—or rather sink- ing into the dreamy repose which is the last stage preceding the oblivion of profound slumber: his breathing wes slow and regular, as if he already slept completely: so that any one might imagine he did really thus sleep. And now it was that he became aware of some sound which, though slight, brought him back in a moment fo full wakefulness. He did not however move: he lay perfectly still— and listened. The handle of the door was cvi- dently turning; and then there was the sound as if some one were endeavouring to push or pull it open. Christian’s first thought was that Mrs. Oxenden wag trying the door: but he knew full well that she could not enter—for he had locked it, as already observed. Buf, ah! what sound was it which next met his ear? The key itself wag turning in the lock ; and this could not be effected by any one on the outside of the door—the indi. vidual must be in the room itself: Ho started up: the extremity of the chamber where the door was situated, was involved in almost complete obscurity: yet through the gloom he could distinguish some shape—a human one. He had no superstitious terror: he sprang from the bed—there was a half: stifled cry, or rather shriek, from the lipa of the person who was endeavouring to open the door: at the same moment Christian’s hands clutched her garmenta—for she was a female; and ghe fell upon her knees, beseeching his mercy. This woman was the negress. “Silence |”. ejaculated Christian: “I will do you no harm. main quiet for a moment.” Locking the door again, he drew forth the key to prevent her escape until he had questioned her: and then he proceeded to huddle on a portion of his clothing. “ Now,’ he said, “ will you tell me what you are doing here” “The new master,” replied the negress, alluding to Sir Edgar Beverley, “ or rather that gentleman the lawyer, who for him last night, ordered me to leave the house: but I could not—where (COL (C DOO CS (COL