The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 168: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE CUURT. CHAPTER XLVI. - THE RESULTS OF THE LETTER. a omy of horror rose to Ernestina’s lips: bat it was met—choked—and stifled, ere it burat forth, by a retarn of that tremendous consternation which had already seized upon her once within the last few minutes. Transfixed to the spot where she stood behind the curtam, she was again cold— motionless—and rigid as a statee: and as a marble | statue was she also pale! She knew not who the man was—she was even ignorant of his name: but there was something so fearfully sinister in his looks, that the presence of a loathsome reptile in the room could not have produced a more powerful effect upon her. And thea, to think that such a mau should be her lws- band’s guest— perhaps his friend,—a man who had dug a grave with all the coool unconcern of a matter of business, and who had handled and buried the corpse of her paramour with a kindred indifference,—the idea that such a man was an in- mate of the house, strack Ernestina with the direst horror. ' But she remained perfectly still and motionless behind the curtains, while the fellow tried tho doors of the side-board. They were locked: and he gave vent to a fearfal imprecation, which enhanced Ernestina’s alarm at his desperate character. “ Well, this is devilish pleasant,” he muttered to himself. “Not to be able to sleep a wink—and te have nothing to drive away thought with. By jingo! Ill break open the doors of this cursed side-board——Ah ! here are the keys, by Satan !” And this imprecation, which was uttered with a fearful emphasis, struck awfally upon the ear of the listening lady behind the curtain. Mr. Jones now proceeded to try one key after another; and in a brief space he succeeded in opening the wine-cooler of the side-board. To his supreme satisfaction he found a bottle of liquor; and haying assured himeelf, by the test of a long draught, that it was brandy, he expressed his delight in audible terms. He then locked up the wine-cooler again, and tool@his departure from the room with the bottle in one hand and his candle in the other. Ernestina’s breath appeared to return with an ease that increased in proportion as the footsteps became less and less audible: and when some minutes had elapsed and the house was again quiet, she stole forth from her hiding-place. But she had now to descend to the kitchen to procure a light for her candle; and, having done this, she retraced her way cautiously and stealthily to her chamber. The task of restoring the lock to its place upon the door did not occupy many minutes; and by the time the work was accomplished, she felt so thoroughly worn out and exhausted alike in mind and body, that she could scarcely undress herself. But at Jength she laid aside her apparel and sought the couch. At first she feared that the agitated condition of her thoughts and the thousand topics which kept them in a dizgy whirl, would prevent her from obtaining that slamber which was so ne- cessary to recruit her mental and physical energies for all that was to happen during the day now 155 a about to dawn: but nature speedily indemnified herself for the fatigues and rending anxieties that had been undergone. She soon fell asleep, and slept soundly too. When she awoke, her watch informed her that it was nine o’clock ; and she hastily quitted her couch. A glance flung from the window, showed her old Underdown working diligently in the garden ; —and she felt assured that her errand had been accomplished. Perhaps the letter was already in the hands of the Chief Magistrate? Ernestina felt that she had now a difficult part to play—a part that was likewise loathsome and revolting to her feelings. For she was about to manifest the utmost submission to her husband—~ induce him to believe that there was a thorough revival of affection on her part—coax, wheedle, and caress him—and, in fine, adopt all possible means to lull him into a false security with respect to her feelings and her conduct. Scarcely was her morning-toilette completed, when Dysart unlocked the door and entered the room. The glance which he flung upon his wife was followed by a gleam of triumph irradiating his countenance: for he read mingled contrition and submissiveness in her whole demeanour. “Well, Ernestina,” he said, in a mild voice, “is it to be peace or war ?” “Peace—by all means, peace,” she exclaimed: “that is, if I did not go too far last night to render peace impossible ?” “Since I asked the question, it must have been with the view of leaving the decision in your hands,” returned Dysart. “I thought you would see the folly of a rupture with me:—it could an- swer no good end—because our affairs, interests, and secrets are too intimately blended not to ren- der it prudent for us to work in harmony and in concert. Do you regard the matter in the same light 7” “ Precisely,” was the response, delivered with much apparent earnestness. “ Besides, after all that has occurred I should not in any case desert you so long as my services may at any moment be required in your behalf ?” “What do you particalarly allude to?” asked Dysart. “J mean that if circumstances should render it necessary to neds fat document which I obtained from the Prince Regent——” | “Of course! the thing would have to be ma- naged delicately and prudently,” exclaimed Dysart. “It could not be entrusted to clumsy hands—for my very life may be made to depend upon that paper.” * Think you, then,” said Ernestina, approaching her husband with tears in her eyes, “that I would leave you in danger and difficulty, after taking so much trouble to procure that document ?, No, no: I do not possess a bad heart—although my temper may be hasty——But you should make allowances for my feelings after such a scene as that which oc- curred last night in Soho Square. To think that I should have been thus exposed to Lord Leveson ! Ah! it was enongh to goad me almost to madness—. or plunge me into despair !” “Well, I dare say that I was too hasty and severe in judging you,” said Dysart. But come— we will say no more relativé to the past: and let us be better friends fox the future.” A - EOMICOOOKS. conn