The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

wen - ~a@ «© @ a TRE MYSTERIES OF THE OCUOURT. her orders to fetch the post-chaise: but still she felt that she should breathe more freely when be- yond the threshold of this grand aristocratic man- sion, the very atmosphere as which seemed heavy, oppressive, and ominous of the dead lull and stifling closeness which pervades the outburst of the storm. Scarcely bad she finished packing her trunk when Lady Ernestina Dysart entered the chamber. “My dear Louisa,” said the artfal woman, as- suming a loox of such well-feigned sorrow that the maiden was completely thrown off her guard there- by, and began to fancy that she had wronged even the Marquis himself by her suspicions,—* my dear Louisa,” repeated her ladyship, in the moat sooth- ing, endearing, and sympathetic tone, “I am truly vexed that you purpose fp leave us thus suddenly : buat my uncie desires me'to say that he will watch for your sister's return home in company with her kind friends Mr. and Mrs. Beckford, and he will let you know through me when you can come back to London with the certainty of meeting her.” “F am truly grateful,” said our heroine, “for this proof of kind consideration on the part of his lordship and yourself:"—bat still Louisa spoke with a certain degree of restraint, for she could not give facile utterance to words that came not wholly from her heart. . “Oh! do not thank me for anything which I may do for you,” exclaimed Ernestina: “it is a real pleasure to serve so sweet a girl as yourself. And now, my dear Louisa, as it will be a quarter of an hour at least before the post-chaise is ready, l have ordered refreshments to be served up in my own chamber: and thither must you accom- pany me, so that we may have a few minutes’ téHe- a-tete before you leave.” This proposal was made with so much friendly candour and winning affability, that Louisa did not hesitate to accept it. Lady Ernestina accordingly fed the way first into the Crimson Drawing Rovi, and thence into the adjoining apartment, the elegance of which naturally excited Louisa’s admi- ration, notwithstanding the claims which other and far more serious matters had upon her thoughts. But her patrician guide did not allow her much leisure to contemplate this room, with its luxurious sofas ranged all round the walla, its splendid por- celain vases exhaling delicious perfumes, and its exquisitely chased silver lamp suspended to the ceiling. Opening the door at the farther extremity, Ernestina conducted the maiden into the next room, where, as the reader will remember, the carpet was the thickest ever trodden upon, and where the arm-chairs were the most massive ever seen,—provided too with cushions of corresponding proportions. “This is the ante-room to my own chamber,” said the false-speaking and evil-intentioned Er- nestinas “and I ordered the refreahments to be served up here. I suppose the footman must have mis- understood me,” she continued, assuming a tone of vexation. “Sit down, my dear girl,” she added, alfably pointing to a chair: “and I will ring the bell for luncheon.” Louisa unhcsitatingly proceeded to place herself where the treacherous lady thus pointed: but scarcely had the young virgin's form made its im- print upon the flocculent cushion, when the sudden giick of the secret mechanism was heard, and she a RD found herself strangely bat alarmingly held captive by means of the springs that clasped her wrists and the steel bands that fastened their gripe upon her shoulders. The terror of censternation for a few moments sealed her lips: but as she beheld Lady Ernestina suddenly disappear through a door which opened in the wall exactly facing the treacherous chair, the un- fortunate girl saw indeed too well that she was be. trayed, and a piercing scream burst from her lips But almost immediately after Ernestina had flitted away ao abruptly, and while that rending scream was atill vibrating through the suite of rooms, the Marquis of Leveson stood before his intended victim ! He had entered by that same door through which his niece had fled; and closing it behind him, he at once said, in a low but earnest tone, “ Louisa, your cries are unavailing: no mortal ear do they reach beyond the four walls of this room ;—and therefore I need scarcely observe that you are in my power !” “My lord, my lord,” faltered the maiden, in a dying tone, while her brain grew dizzy and a film came over her eyes “take pity upon the friendless orphan who never injured you !” “O Louisa !” exclaimed the Marquis, fixing upon her those satyr eyes that were burning with desire “to ask mercy for yourself is totell me to make an im- possible sacrifice! Listen to me, dear girl—do not de- spair—do not give way to grief—do not look thus wildly, thus vaguely upon me! You know that I bear one of the loftiest and proudest titles in Eng- land—that my riches are immense: you have seen enough of this mansion here to know that it is spa- cious and magnificent ;—and I may add that in the loveliest spota of England there are country-seats— perfect paradises in themselves—of which I am also the possessor. Of this lofty title, then will I make thee the sharer—of this wealth will I make thee the mistress: my mansions, my domains, my rural villas—all shall be thine, Louisa, if thou wilt give me thy love !” Our heroine heard the tones of the nobleman’s voice, but comprehended not what he said. There was a burry in her brain that made her thoughts a whirlwind and threw her senses into confusion. All she knew was that some tremendous danger me- naced her, and that she was sinking beneath the weight of an ineffable consternation. The Marquis saw that she was thus overwhelmed —that her head was crooping—and that her senses were slowly abandoning her ; and he thought within himself, *“ [ will not excite nor arouse her—I will jet her sink into insensibility—and then——" * * * * * * * * * * The instant Lady Ernestina Dysart had per- formed her treacherous part towards poor Louisa Stanley, she disappeared from the presence of the outraged maiden in the mauner already described. The reader will have comprehended that she touched the secret spring and opened the invisible dour communicating with her uncle’s room, where indeed his lordship had been awaiting the issue of the adventure. Rastily telling him that the deed was done, Ernestina traversed the bed-chamber and hurried into the Crimson Drawing Room, where she threw herself upon a sofa, palpitating with excitement. For bad, depraved, aad unprincipled though she was, she nevertheless felt shocked gud frightened awe — ECOMICHOOolKS.conn 29)