The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

| Sc se SS ss SS SS ss tf nS 196 through the apertments, when her ear distinctly caught the sound of « foot-fall in the corridor leading to the ante-room. She rose up gently from her seat— she stood ia readiness te secure the door—and again she listened. Yes—she was not deceived: footeteps more wildly than before: “ where am I? what does it all mean ?” “One moment, my lord!” quickly responded Mrs. Broughton: and disengaging herself from his gtasp, she opened the door leading into the bed- were approaching slowly, and as if the individual | chamber. were advancing in 6 manger that was rather deli- benete than actually caantious,;—fur though the steps seomed measured, yet the tread might have been lighter. Those steps ceased at the door: then she beard the baadle turn-<he door opened slowly— whoever he was, closed the door and advanced far- ther into the epartment. Then Mrs. Broughton ee oe ee Noaied forth wpon the countenance of the Earl of Castlemaine; and for an instant it was terrible and ghastly to bebold: for ovary lineament expressed 9 terror half wild, half stupifying, as if the unhappy nobleman had just been startled out of his sleep. “And it was so. coughton had comprehended it all in ao in- sten}:—tho Earl of Castlemaine was a somnam- lost not a moment in turning the key in the lock, | bulist ! taking it out, and sesuring it about ber person. This being sbe listened in the expectation that the intruder, ming ~ But no euch thing! He apoke nota | word; and vance, as if he were either totally . unconscious or elee reakless of the presence of amother person in thas dark room. Then she grew frightened: she he had come, he was too eocndonsnass of detection, he wight desl ber blow—-he might use violence to cssape—he might do her a mischief. So she resolved to wait a few moments and ascertain what course be was about te at 3 ton, exclaiming, “ Who are you? where am I ?”’ | Heavens! it wae the vawe of the Karl of Castle- maine himself ! “Ob, my lord! my lord!” cried Mz. Broughton, she heard his footeteps continue to ad-. “My lord,” she hastened to say, taking him by the band and compelling him to sit down on a chair alarmed, would say or do : in the boudoir, but near the open door of the bed- ' chanaber, “ compose —tranquillise your feel- ings, I conjure you! Ob, my lord! you ought to be happy—for—for——you are not dishououred! Do you nat understand me ?” These last words she had uttered in & whispering voice; and Lord Castlemaine,—who, for the previous or enomenta had been gasing in a sors of wild vacancy and appalled stupefaction around him,— was suddenly galvanised by the thrilling cunviction that it eent in tu his very soul. He starved up into the full vitality and keen perception of tullest wake- fulness: his countenance became animated—juy, wonder, and exultation expanded thereon — aud then wildly orying, “ Yes, she is innvcent ! she is innucent!” he rushed into the bed-chamber. _ “ Pardon, my angel—pardon!” he exclaimed, as he threw himself upon his knees by the side of the couch; end taking the hand which his wile ex- but sitting down in the darkness of the buudoir, sue wept plenteously for very ,vy. Her mistress was innocent—and ahe was bappy, this guud wumaa! —Oh, supremely happy! Several minutes had secured the key in her pocket. Ah! there was no need now to retain the intruder captive and extort from him a promise that he would not re- visit the place: for never was intruder more yel- come, or never more certain to come back again, after the scene of reconciliation which she knew full well was at that instant taking place in the | bed-chamber adjoining. The sounds of impassioned a sudden thrill of exultant joy passing through her entire frame as che was smitten with the conviction of her lady’s innecence: “pardon me for the way Z epoke—parden av for my rudeness in laying upon youa—" “ Good God! wheve am I?” exclaimed the Kari, [ for her, and that she would faint away benesta ite ES ear =e wes ss e (GO) iC C) DOO CS (COL