The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. vases, and paintings, and whence three or four doors opened into the apartments on that storey. But there they halted not: another ascent was mounted—-another landing reached. Here the woman paused fora moment, and glanced along the array of four doors which appeared on that storvy, as if she hesitated to which apartment she should assign the youthful prisoner. Her deci- sion ‘was however promptly made; and opening one of the doors, she conducted Henrietta into a suite of three rooms, beautifully furnished. These rooms opened one intu another, and had no visible issue except the door on the landing by which they had just entered. The first apartment was evidently fitted up as the one where meals might be taken: the next was to serve tho pur- pose of a drawing-room: and the third was e bed- chamber. They all three had their windows at the back of the house; and these windows were barred. But the view therefrom was far more cheerful than that which the front of the house commanded: for these windows looked upon a beautiful garden in the rear of the building, stretching out to a considerable extent, and bounded by ashrubbery of evergreens, beyond which lay the green fields of the open country; and as all that neighbourhood is characterised by picturesque scenery, the view from the windows was altogether exceedingly beautiful. But what view can possess any charms for the captive who gazes upon it between fron bars? “These are your apartments,” said the woman. “In the cupboards and drawers of the bed- chamber you will find plenty of changes of raiment, some of which will fit you as exquisitely as if made by a milliner to your shapo. The toilet-table affords all appropriate requirements. In each room there are bell-pulls; and your summons will always be promptly answered. Your table shall be served with all dainties: everything shall be done to render you cheerful and contented, unless you resolve to be doggedly obstinate and perverse. In the middle room you may observe a number of books, some of which must doubtless suit your taste. When it strikes your fancy to take exercise, there is the garden at your service. All these pieces of information I give you by Lord Everton’s command. There is no attempt to disguise from you the fact that you are a prisoner, at least for the present: but how long you may remain so, depends entirely upon yourself. You comprehend me? and therefore your destiny is thus far in your own hands, that whereas you are now a captive in this house, you may become the free- and happy mistress of it whenever you think fit. I need say no more.” The woman had been permitted to make this long speech without the slightest interruption on Henrietta's part, because the young damsel was under the influence of too profound a terror—too paralysing a consternation, to be able to interject asingle word orcomment. Shesat down ina dull dumb stupor,—her eyes fixed vacantly in the di- rection of the window, beyond the fron bars of which stretched the smiling country,—the ver- dure of the flelds and trees all brilliant and glow- ing in the sunlight of the delicious summer evening. But Henrietta beheld not now that clarming panorama of natural lovelincss, dotted here and there with country mansions o: pioc- turesque cottages; the whole powers of her vision (i EE were turned inward, in conoentrated survey of her own sad and weill-nigh hopeless position. The woman, perhaps imagining that the young captive had fallen into a fit of sullenness, turned slowly away, and passed out of the suite of rooms. As the outer door closed Henrietta started upand listenod. It was to catch whether that door was locked or bolted upon her. Poor thing! as if those who had taken the trouble to put bars up at the windows would forget to secure tle door of the cage to which the young fluttering bird was consigned! Yes: the sounds of the key turning and the bolts drawing, reached the damsel's ears; and then, with a sudden outburst of anguish, she wrung her hands violently, her bosom convulsing with sobs and her lips pouring forth the bitterest lamentations. Oh! bow dreary and dismal were the thoughts which now agitated in the brain of poor Henrietta. Would not her mother indeed have every appa- rent reason to suspect the worse,—she who was already so prone to suspicion! Crucifying refles- tion !—and heaven only knew how long a period was to elapse ere Henrietta would seo her mother again, and be enabled to tell all that had occurred. And.alas! still more excruciating reflection !—was it destined that she should ultimately go forth pure and stainless from this mansion of infamy? or would not her ruin be assuredly consummated ? e Unable to endure the torturing poignancy of these thoughts, Henrietta endeavoured to distract her attention by examining the apartments to which she had been consigned. She had another reason for entering on this survey: namely, to ascertain what chances there might be of a sur- prise on the part of Lord Everton during the night that was approaching. The reader has doubtless well comprehended that it wasa range of three rooms opening one into another, and entirely shut in from the rest of the house by the door that opened from the landing. She looked to see if there were any means of secur- ing this door inside; and she found that there were. Yes: there was one of those little sliding bolts at the bottom part of the lock; and when this was secured, the door could not be opened from without save by violence, and therefore with a noise which could not fail to awaken her. But was there no other means of communica- tion with this suite of apartments? Minute and careful was Henrletta’s scrutinizing search throughout the three rooms; bat no other door save those between the apartments themselves, or of thecupboards in the bed-chamber, couldshe find. She examined the walls—likewise the wood-work inside the oupboards—looked under the bed and behind it—ixn short, left not a single nook or corner uninvestigated. The reeult of this search was so far of an en- couraging nature that she felt tolerably sure no attempt to surprise her in the night would be made ; and indeed, when she reviewed all that the woman had said to her, she came to the contlu- sion that it was Lord Everton's hope either to weary or persuade her into a compliance with his wishes. If such were the case, it at least promised her some days’ leisure to devise means for es- cape; and feeling that this was her only chance, she said to herself, “It is useless for me to give way to grief,—indeed worse than useless: for the 167 a ECOMICOOolKKS. conn