The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

EE SSeS SS ise fy 156 ° THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Such is my earnest hope,” answered the lady, wiping her eyes. They then descended to the breakfast-parlour ¢ and Ernestina continued to behave with the ut- most kindness towards her husband. Of her own accord she arranged Mr. Jones’s meal upon the tray; although she could scarcely repress a visible shudder when she thought of the wretch for whom she was thus preparing his food, which Dysart hastened to carry up to him. Afver breakfast, Ernestina went into the do- mestic offices to issue her commands ing the dinner; and she found an opportunity of ex- changing a few words with Underdown. The old man had faithfully executed her commission; and she once more charged him and his wife not to be- tray any uneasiness or exhibit any suspicious emotion, should some startling occurrence take place during the day. Having thus again re- assured the old couple, Ernestina repaired to the drawing-room, where her husband was lounging upon a sofa, reading a book. It was now nearly eleven o'clock, and Ernestina was trembling inwardly with an intense anxiety and nervousness. The officers of justice might be ex- pected every moment; and so mucli—indeed, every- thing—depended upon whether Dysart should sus- pect that she had aught to do with his arrest. She weighed in her mind all the chances for and against this result: her imagination was on the rack in re- Viewing the measures she had adopted and the cal- culatious she had made. Her better judgment con- vinced her that she was safe and secure; but her fears suggested the contrary. She was like one who has committed a crime all traces of which have in reality disappeared, but the discovery of which a guilty conscience is ever whispcring to be imminent. When she entered the drawing-room, Dysart laid down his book, and began to converse upon a Variety of indifferent topics. He evidently had determined upon adopting a conciliatory policy towards his wife: but she did not repent of what she had done. In fact, the longer she meditated upon the character of her husband and the life she had led with him, the more she was resolved to emancipate herself from so ab- horrent a thraldom, under any circumstances. This feeling on her part gradually inspired her with the necessary courage and presence of mind to go through with the measures she initiated ; and sitting down to her needle-work, she conversed calmly, kindly, and submissively with the man whom she had determined to send to the gibbet. It was about mid-day, when old Mrs. Underdown entered the drawing-room to say that a person who bad just arrived from France, with letters from General Beechey, desired to see Mr. Bradshaw. Emestina dropped her work in the sudden confusion which seized upon her: for she felt convinced that the crisie was now at hand. But her emotion passed unobserved by her husband ; and she instantaneously recovered her presence of mind. Dysart was evidently etruck with a suspicion that all was not right: but he entertained not the remotest idea that Ernestina was plotting against him. “What sort of a man is hef” he inquired hastily of the old woman. “But did you say I was at home {” “I said I didn’t know, sir-—I would see,” she an- swered. “He seems a respectable-looking person, short and alight" “Shall I see him, Ernestina?” asked Dysart, turning uneasily towards his wife, and speaking to her in the French language, with which they were both intimately convers ant. “Do you not think it is sin- gular that Beechey should send over a m instead of writing by the post? Because he and | have nothing so very important between us——” “T really know not how to advise,” responded Emestina, also in the French tongue. “Itmay bea stratagem : and yet———” ‘Well, at all events, I must risk it,” exelaimed Dysart: then turning to the old woman, be said, “ Show the person up.” The instant Mrs. Underdown had quitted the room, Dysart handed Ernestina a key, saying in a hurried and nervous manner, “ Now, if this should really be a trick, you must instantaneously go to ° the bed-room, open my desk, and secure the docu- ) ment about your person: because if I am taken, my papers may be searched. And, by the bye, there’s that fellow———"’ “Jones?” ejaculated Ernestina, impatiently. “What of him? Does he incur any risk 7” “Why—they will scarcely search the house if they secure me,” exclaimed Dysart. “But——* He stopped short: for at this moment Mrs. Un- derdown re-appeared, introducing the visitor into the room. She immediately withdrew; and both Dysart and his wife threw rapid and searching glances upon the individual who now stood in their presence. But there was nothing of that ill-look. ing demeanour and suspicious mien which the ims- gination is wont to associate with its ideas of an officer of justice. Nevertheless, Dysart was evi- dently uneasy, while Ernestina felt convinced that the man twas a myrmidon of the law. “Mr. Dysart,” he said, “I am sorry to be com- pelled to do my duty—and resistance will be vain. My people have surrounded the house——” “© heaven ® screamed Ernestina, wiih an ad- mirably assumed outburst of feeling: and she clasped her hands as if in the deepest anguish. “Don’t make yourself miserable, my dear,” said Dysart, flinging upon ber a significant look to. remind her of his injunctions relative to the writ- ing-desk. “ You had better leave the room——” “Yes—I think y yship had better with- draw,” observed Larry Sampson—for he it was: although Ernestina had not recognised in him the sham postman of the preceding Friday. “ Bat are you going to take my husband away ?* she cried, still sustainiug that artificial show of grief which was as successfully assumed as were the blandishments which in that very apartment she had lavished upon the Prince Regent. “Your ladyship shall see him again before he goes,” answered Larry. “I am ia no hurry to remove him, if he behaves as a gentleman should,” Ernestina embraced Dysart with affected enthu- siasm, and then hurried fromthe room. Speeding to the bed-chamber, she hastily unlocked the desk —took out the document—and secured it about ber person, She then closed the desk again, leay- ing the key in it. “Ab! now my vengeance will be consummated f* she murmured to herself, her whole manner and eppearance suddenly changing from assumed grief and submiesiveness into the despcrate enorgy of an outraged and resolate woman. “i ‘have nok played the hypocrite without avail: I won hack rr as es SR COMM Ss CO \ chow