The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

13 sipated her own, amongst the profligate and dis- solute.” “ AR falso—abdominably, atrociously false!” ejacu- lated the Marquis, springing up frem his chair, and inning to pace the apartment in a terrible state of excitement and rage. “Oh, the monsters to whom the welfare of these dear children was en- trusted !-—-Oh, that miscreant Everton! Shall they, af er all, be suffered to escape condign punishment ? or shall not a terrific vengeance alight upon their heads? But no, no: there are a thousand consi- derations———I must calm myseli—I must compose these wildly agitated feelings of mine !” Phus speaking, Lord Kagledean resumed his seat ; and giving hie hand to Mrs. Jameson, he said in an altered voice—a voice fall of solemn emotion,— * You have been a kind and faithful friend to your mistress: accept my heartfelt gratitude |” “Oh, my lord,” she replied, the tears still stream- ing down her cheeks, “ you know not what happi- | re mess you have imparted to my soul! And what happiness, too, is now im store for her ladyship! Bat let us hasten to discourse om those subjects which require mutual explanation; for I long—Oh, I long to be enabled to go and commenve break- ing to my dear mistress all the joyous intelligence that I shall have to impart!’ “In respect to my beloved children Eiisabeth and Frank,” said the Marquis, “I need not tell you that now they are under my care, they sre amply and richly provided for: but the fortunes that £ settled upon therh upwards of sixteen years ago, have been self-appropriated by those villaine Petersfield and Marston.” “Heavens, her ladyship’s éwn brother!” ejaca- lated the housekeeper. “And it is falee, then, that Elizabeth has led an evil Hfe—that she ran away from her husband the Marquis of Villebelle, with a Cd paramour—— “ All false—all diabolically false!” exclaimed the Marquis: then, m a graver tone, he added, “ It is my firm conviction that no female in the laad can boast herself more pare, more chaste, than my daughter Elisabeth. f have not time now to enter into details: suffice it for me to tell you that her marriage with the Marquis of Villebelle was a plundered! But litth did he imagine that poor Frank’s memory would be so good in recognising those whom he had seen in his earlier years. day, two ladies whom he had met in the com of Kis mother at Everton Park, and James's, appeared at Court together. who they could have been———” “Lady Hesketh and her beautiful Viltiers,” remarked Mrs. Jameson. “They cousin Mies Villiers, when they appeared at Court together. But although he thus recognised them, he knew not their names. They, as a matter af denied that they were acquainted with him-~denied indeed thas they knew who he was, or had ever seen him before. Doubtless the report of his death had not reached their cars; or else they would have seemed still more surprised. But certain it is that soon afterwards Lord Petersfield thought it better to have Frank removed from a place where he might meet them again; and he accordingly transferred him to the service of Lady Sarondaw, at whose mansion he was no doubt wail aware that Lady Hesketh and Miss Villiers did not visit.” “Oh, what a ramifiostion of treachery!” cried Mrs. Jameson, holding up her hands in astonish- ment and dismay. “ Years have elapsed sinco any communication took place between these ladies and my mistress: for when Lady Everton resolved upon iring to this seclusion in Wales, she broke off all her past friendships—resigned all her previous acquaintances |” “ And therefore,” observed the Marquis, “ Lord Petersfield entertained little fear that your poor mistress would learn from Lady Hesketh or Miss Villiers that her son Frank was really alive and had been seen in a menial capacity at the Palace. But now, Mrs. Jameson, have the goodness to explain to me those matters concerning which I am yet in the dark,—all thet occurred, in short, from the time that I quitted England in the year 1828.” “I will, my lord,” responded the old house- keeper: “but it shall be as succinotly as 1 can—for whe impatient to have speech of her lad " as,” roplied Lord Ragledean “but ere we meet, I would rather be acquainted with everything —se that she may be spared the pain of having any ex- planations to give. ’ “Your lordship can well understand,” resumed Mra. Jameson, “that the knowledge of my poor lady’s seeret put her completely in the power of that bad man her brother-in-law. He came and gave his orders at the Park just as if he were the master. He represented to my poor mistress that after all he had learnt, ashe was not a fit and proper persen to have full cherge of ber son Adolphus during the father’s absence. He removed Adolphus to the wostern extremity of the building,—lodging him m apartments to which there was a communi- cation by means of the private staircase. He in- troduced creatures of hisown to surround the boy— to attend upon him—and doubtless to keep watch over him also. As the time approached for my lord’s arrival from India, Mr. Everton sent up all the old servants of the Park ta the town-house ia London, for the purpose, as he said, of making the fullest preparations there to receive his lordship. I was packed wf along with the rest; and Everton Park was left in the hands of the strange domestics whom Mr. Everton had planted there. I went away with a heavy heart—for I suspected some mischief: but I was relieved to a certain extent when I found that Mr. Everton himself was about to proceed to London and pase a few days at his own house. I will now describe what took place at the Park after I and my ‘ellow-seryants had re- moved to the town-residence; although I did not all partioulary from my mistress’s lips J : a THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. (COIMUC DOO CS (COL