The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 230: what you’re looking at

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TAY MYSTERIES: against hid high and noble forehead—the despair to which he hbendosted himecif-—and the frequeney with whieh lie éxtiaimed blond, “ Yed--either suicide or that other dread altefnative! My Ged! my God! have co ‘on'mer™ Once he ‘seated’ himoedlf ‘wt' his ‘ desk knd coms merited a long‘ letter whiclt he addiexted 'to his wife, and £4 wihfeli he explained the-metives that 1d hiin* to readive upon selfsddéstraction. While thus'en- gaged, he' experienced ‘an: unhatiral calsindss — arhdtinting ‘almost to thet:joy wich 'animates the: ed ‘upon éseaping front” desperate rhan who has the miseries of Hfe Wy the avertna of smicide-—and a: enifie: of satisfaction’ stole-over his éoutitenatice, as he folded, vealed, arid difected the lettén' Then he eoée from hie seat—took Tis piatéiy from the caséus charged and primed thent. Yes—he had resolved tipon wett-déstritetion ! But even'at the vety instatit whén' he was about to plaéd the'mizile of one of the fatal weapons in hie mouth, the'idés fladied' to ‘hie mirid‘that he-would didhtonotr ‘his nanie, and by reflection distoncour his wife alsd; were: he to'actdmplish' His ‘térrfible pur- pote = for tio dre: Wottld ‘beli¢ve that insanity had driver: him to ‘thé dconstirriietién of suth'a deéd’ And that ‘first ides ‘engendered a thonsknd others; which swept through his brain in ghastly and apj ‘ array;_the’ Corotier’s inquest-the prd- bability that’ the: Coutitess might in the-‘first ‘mo- merit’ of“Het terror, exhibit his fetter to some fiend, or faint dn'réaditig #t, and thas afford others an op- portonity of reading’ it aleo-the thance that Thurs- ton thight come -forwatd, ea matter of publi¢ dtity, to Dear evidetice respecting thé real facts which’ had: prompted the suididal: deed then’ the verdict of felo de se\-the denial of' Christian prdyetrs—the dis: grace which‘wotld turtive hind,:and which would in 2 méastre'cling to hid widow, especially if the fatal case of tid suttide'should trahspite;—all these re- flections passed throtgh' his miad witht the rapidity of # hurti¢ane. ' Shuddering at the idea of self-destrtretion which he had datéd to harbour, ahd whidlt for a shott space he had contetnplated ‘so ¢alshly,--shocked' to the very soul ‘at the machress to which he had yielded, — the wretched Earl restored his pistols to thelr cuse; and thréw into the'fire did Jetfer which he had ad- aresded to his ‘wifé: Then, sorhéwhat relieved’ he sag@id' paéed the rodiit';—and ‘at Idet Heefdcritated M atebnts ofdespalr, “Yes—it mast be that ofAér altertiative! There is no help‘fot it—-— My God! my'Ged !*' Having thus madé dp his mind to the adoption of a certain’ plan which, thotgtt cruelly revoltitiy and abhotrent'to hig rind! was, notwithstahdliig, fat less! terrible than the ‘idea ‘of suicide, the Ral of Dew borough corhposed his countenastice—~ arrimged his dréss—orderv his chrrlage--artd ' repuired! dirtet to Caritén Honte. | It was xbodt three ‘in the’ aftértoon-whén ‘thé noblethan reachtd’ the prinedly ‘dwelling; and He’ was ‘imtnediately tishered ‘info the presénde of his Royal Highness who happened to be alorie and dig- eigaged at the time. At first the helr-appasent was -soniewhat ‘cotrfased when the Earl's rartie was amiotinedd: for he Krew: that ‘Mra Bricé was to have seen the Countes# in the btorning,—arid‘it instaritty stfuck hint that she mtight Have maraged ‘her Sunitices so élumeity' ab to compromise himself — and that het’ IadyeNip had EE we a = ——w oe 219° | _ | complained to her husband; who-was-now ‘come to | demand ‘explanations of the indignity offered to his wife. But the affable tone and the mariner of digs’ | nified reapect with which Lord Desborough! acbostdd | the Prints, speedily dissipated: 'thdse apptebensions; and his Royal Highness received the noble visitor ' with a cordiality enhanced by the relief that his feel ings: had just expertenued. After the ubual conipliinents had b-eh dxohanged ° | amd'a' few oBservaGons paserd on th? liad'ng topics of the-day, the Earl: of Daeborough; dtawitg bis chair closer to that on which the hel? spparent wis - ‘lounging; cath ic a enbdhed end: seridus: tone, “I em'‘about te take ‘an excesding: Hberty with your’ Royal Highness: but' I humbly: hope: that ory: motives will be rigttly undtreteod: Have' I pte micstic to expink inyeclf farther?” “ Most awuredly,' my esteemed friend,” extlaifned : the Prince, wondering to what pomt thie mysteriéus | prefdos was to lead; bit:confident that it had no . contiéxidn' with the designs which he: had formed’ and the intfigaes‘he had set on foot in regard to the beautifal Countess. “ You carmot, I am well awate, have mything- in view which is incohsistent with my - interests - fer your lordship invariably votes'oh the right sidé,* added the Prince of Wales, who; be it recoliéeted; patronized the Whig party, to which the Earl belohged, “I thank your Royal Highness for thid grécious permissionto explain myself,” said the: novleman ; “and I shail proceed frankly and candidly to ‘state’ the objéor' ot my visit. The indelicate publicity which the Pitt ‘Cabinet has given to the: pecuniary afthirs of your Royal Highness, has both grieved ahd incended'me. It nevertheless ceases to be-a ni¢re rumour of surmise that: your Royal Highnesd is somewhat annoyed by eeftain liabilities-at the pre- sent incinent; and &s some weeks must clapee ¢re the House of Commons can possibly come: te a vote upoh the propositions subtiitted to it the-other day in respect to those-embatrassments, I have ventdred to seek this interview with your Royal Highness for the putpose of stating that I have'at the nioment a surplus of twenty thousand pounds in my batkers handy. If your Royat Higtmess will ocondesoend to | take’ chatge of that ameuut till the end of the earo——" “My dear friend,” interrapted the Prince, his pontite- | nance lighting up with joy, as he seized the Earl's hati@é knd-wrting thern both with cordial warmith}— | “I approéiate all' the gpenetosity and detiesdy of thie : proceeding on Yoitr part; and J accept with wae feigned prattade ‘the noble offer which you have made me.” | “It ‘that’ case” said the Earl, “if your Royal . Highness would cordescend to acoept auch poor hos- | pitality au ¥ may'be enabled this evening to offér—* “ Agair 1 express: my thanks,” intertuptéd the Pritict; delighted at the prospect of « twofold pleasure: | naniely,' of touching twenty thousand poudds‘on the one hand, and of passing a few hours in company qith the charming Eleanor on the other. “If it be agteédtle' to your ‘lordship ani yodr antible Countess, I will take dinner with you this ‘everiing, But pray let us enjoy a friendly privacy ——" “It is precisely this that I intended to propose,” said the Earl “Her ladysttip will feet honoured by thy preserice of yout Royal Highness,” he added, his voive: becoming slightly trediulous dud the ‘‘coloer deepening semnowhaton his choekb: but redbveting ame eb ome o ann ge we eee ew eo ee Guar —_ Pn —_— © => = _— —— _ =—=~ «= ap — aay —e ne 2 = = COMIC OO© <Sr OTL!