The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

THER MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. "Lord Harold appeared to hesitate—and then said, **Do you know where he is ?” Again the answer was in the negative, accom- 191 “Nol” ejaculated Staunton: “ you must not add , thia crowning ignominy—or I will killyou—by the ' eternal heaven, I will kill you !" ied by the intimation that Lord Saxondale had; Lady Saxondale seemed suddenly dismayed, and pan been absent the whole day. her countenance became pale: but speedily recover- * Perhaps her ladyship knows ?”’ immediately re- ing herself, she said, ‘‘ It is but too evident that the joined Harold: “and she will tell me—for it is | calamity of this morning has turned your brain. I highly important that I should sce my friend. Is must not therefore be too hard upon you.” her ladyship withm ?” “ Yes, my lord,” responded the “And alone — disengaged ? young ladies are with her 7” Thus , she resumed her seat, with a slight relaxation from that cold dignity and freesing hau- porter. But perhaps the | teur which for the last few minutes she had main- tained. Lord Harold, still standing, fixed upon her * No, my lord : they are gone to a party, and her the keenest scrutiny, as if to fathom what was really ladyship is alone.” The hall-porter, passing in her mind, and penetrate beneath the to whoee ears certain flying ru- | mask of studied reserve and repelling chillness mours of the duel had been wafted, was at no loss which he fancied she had purposely put on. But at to understand wherefore Staunton hed come thus disguised, nor why his looks were wild and haggard. But he of course made no remark in allusion to the subject; and furthwith summoning a footman, de- sired him to escort Lord Harold to the room where Lady Sexondale was seated. This was accordingly done; and in a few moments the young nobleman found himself alone with ber “ Perhaps you did not expect to see me here to- night ?” he said, throwing himself upon a seat near the sofa where Lady Saxondale was placed. “‘ Indeed I did not,” she answered coldly; “and I length resuming hie own seat likewise, he said, “ You have alluded to the calamity of this morning. Can you look me in the face and tell me that you really it as a calamity P”’ “ What!” cried Lady Saxondale: “to kill a per- son in a duel—is not this a calamity P” “Stop!” said Lord Harold imperiously. “ Does your ladyship know this ?”--and he produced the diamond-clasp which he had worn on the front of we tenths eae “ No—certainly responded Lady Saxon- dle, jb degning t fing oon glance up the am much surprised that you sheuld come at this hour jewe and under such circumstances.” ‘You are surprised Pf” ejaculated Staunton, now gasing upon her with amasement the mest un- “Have I not fulfilled your injunctions? -——yes, even to the very letter !”” “My lord,” anewered Lady Saxondalo, haughtily, but still with some deprue of astonishment, “I am at a loss to understand you. Reports of what hap- pened this morning have reached me, and I there- fore can come to no other conclusion than that your reason is affected.” “Lady Saxondale,” cried Staunton, starting up from his seat as if goaded almost to madness by this unlooked-for neception, “is it possible that you can treat me in such a manner? Now, do not think that though I may seem excited I have in any way compromised you with the servants: for I purposely asked after Edmund first, and appeared to wish to see you only as the result of a second thought and for the purpose of ascertaining where Edmund is.” “Compromise me with my servants!” said Lady Saxondale, slowly rising from the sofa; and draw- ing herself up to the full of her superb height, she bent her magnificent dark eyes with eagle look upon the astounded young nobleman: “I am at a loss, my lord, to understand such . Thmk you that because your sister is engaged to become my son’s wife, that you possess the privilege of having the run of the house—to enter it at such an hour as this—force your way into my presenco——No, my lord!” Harold had remained stupified while Lady Saxon- dale was thus speaking: but when she ceased, s sudden rage seized upon him, quick as the gust of the whirlwind sweeps over the ocean; and while his eyes flashed fire and his lips were white with rage, he said in a thick hoarse voice, “ Madam, your con- duct is abomimabie!”’ in Noe this?” continued Lord Harold Staunton, next producing the letter which made the sppoint- ment for that self-eame masquerade. ‘‘ What a questien!” cried Lady Saxondale with a contemptuous curl of the lip. “As if I knew aught of your correspondence !” “Then perhaps your ladyship is equally ignorant of this?’”’—and now he produced the lehtee which which contained naught save a pame—and that name was Witliam Deveril ! ‘‘ My lord, I begin to grow very weary indeed of these follies. I have put up with them for the last ten minntes out of compassion for your state of mind: but I must beg that they be not per- severed in.” “Lady SAéxondale,” answered Lord Harold Staun- ton, with a strange and ominous outward calmness which rather denoted than concealed the pent-up fury of wrath and rage concentrated below: “ it suits to treat me thue—but you will not succeed! No: it shall not be permittéd to any woman to make use of me as her blind instrument for a particular object, and when that object is ac- complished, cast me off. Nay, worse than cast me off—ignore my services and repudiate me altogether ! Madam, it was you who sent me that clasp—yow who wrote that letter—you also who penned that name inside the envelope, which moreover contained a certain sum of money.” “Lord Herold, your friends will have to put you under restraint,” responded Lady Saxondale. “We shall sec!” he rejoined drily. “ Now, madam, you are giving me proof of the most matchless éffrontery that ever woman displayed or that the world saw. Can you possibly maintain that it was not you yourself who gave me the ap- pomtment to be at the masquerade—you who en- joined me to remove yuur enemy from your peth— “This to me” cried Lady Saxondale: and she | you who wrote me the name of that enemy on this —" peper, that name being William Deveril? Madam. COMM ElOOO (CO