The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 311: what you’re looking at

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

esiving you: I do not even know that I have any particular object in thus vindicating myself up to the present time-—unless it be that it is natural for a woman to take creait for as much virtue as she possesses, even in the presence of him to whom that virtue is about to be surrendered.” ‘ I do believe you,” responded Steunton, in 8 voice which showed that he spoke with sincerity. “Tam sufficiently acquainted with the world to be able to discover a demirep, no matter how thick may be the veil of hypocrisy that she wears; and having known you for some few years, I should certainly have detected you ere now. Yes—I do believe you; and therefore.all the more welcome sre you ta me, dear Ledy Saxondale !” Thus speaking, he passed his arm round her waist ; and in the dhade of the avenue where they were walking, he embraced her. There was an interval cf silence—and they proceeded slowly on, he stil) with his arm round her waist. “Bat you have not told me what I can do for you,” he at length resumed. “Iam sure there is something in which you need my services.” “No—not at THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. obtein witnesses to the whole or any portion of those transactions in which I eo fatally involved myself, the result would be exposure—ruin—dis- ishonour—~QOh, I could not survive it!” “And he has threatened you with an action?” said Harold, in a thoughtful mood: it was not how- ever precisely upon what he had heard that he was thinking, but rather upon e subject which had gra- dualiy arisen in his mind within the last few minutes. “ He has threatened me with an action—or the alternative is that I sign a document to be circu- lated privately, denying the truth of the state- ment I had made to my friends concerning him. That I will never do. I would sooner risk the law- suit. To sign the death-warrant of my own honoor -——to commit a suicidal act in respect to my own fame, were impossible !”—-and Lady Saxondale spoke with the vehemence of a strong excitement. “ To be eure—you cannot do that,” rejoined Harold. “A document to be circulated privately, —ng, no—that will never do! As well the ful exposure! Even if you lost the law-suit, you might t, I can assure you,” answered | stall persist that your cause was just, and that you Lady Gaxondale. “ But tell me candidly—indeed, I | were an injured woman: but if you once sign such beseech you to speak with the utmost sincerity —for it is important. Have you breathed to a suul, except Edmund, those circumstances that so much engered yon against me? Pray do not deceive me. If you bave, I shall forgive you, and must make the best of it. But if you have not, so much the bester.’’ “Is 16 then eo very important?” asked Lord Harold, alightly fencing with the question. “Ah! I perceive that you have told some one?” cjeculated Lady Saxondgle. “Now, Harold, listen tome. You must not leave mo in the dark in this respect—-you must not be afraid to confess the extent to which you have betrayed me. Iam pre- pared to give mveelf up to you--I will even en- deavour to love you—I feel that I already begin to hke you; and if you devote yourself entirely to my interests, there ie nothing I will not do to serve you. Therefore pray be candid; and to show you that I em inclined to put the fullest confidence in you, I will tell you presently whérefore Iam so urgent in asking the question.” “I will ‘therefore speak without reserve,” said Flarold. ‘‘ Unfortanately,” he continued, “ you ren- dered me so bitterly vindictive against you, that I wee not careful how I compromised you. There are two persons beades Edmund, to whom I have told everything.” “Two persons! Who are they P’”’ “One 1s Edmund’s mistress—for I suppose that you know or suspect that he Aas a mistress; and the other is my faithful and devoted servant Alfred.” “(Joud God! this is most serious,” murmured Lady Gaxondale: and Staunton felt that she shud- cered in the half-embrace in which he still retained her as they walked slowly along. “Why is it so serious ” he inquired. “ Because,” she rejoined in a thick voice, but with bitter accents, “I am threatened with a law-suit for the defamation of William Deveril’s character; and that persevering, obstinate, dogged old man, Mr. Gunthorpe, is at the bottom of it all. It is doubt- less bis gold that will enable Deveril to carry on the @ paper, all is over.” “ That is exactly the view I take of it. Me. Marlow has written tome. Of course he does not | believe Deveril’s story for a moment: but how could I ever look him in the face again if I were to write and tell him that I will sign an acknowledgment of my own guilt ?”’ “Jt is indeed most serious,” rejoined Staunton. “ Kdmund's mistress is the only ane to be feared: on my valet Alfred I can rely.” “You have not brought him down with you?” eaid Lady Saxondaele’quickly: “ for I could not look him in the face———” “No,” answered Staunton.-. “My aunt and Fio- rina had to bring their two maids; and they would not consent that too many persons should encumber the carriage. Besides, from motives of delicacy— having told Alfred the whole story in a fit of spleen and spite—I would not insist upon M4 . him.”’ “ But who is Edmund’s mistress? I suspected that he had one, as he has been eo constantly away from home of late—-—”’ “She is an opera-dancer, known as Mademoisclle D’Alembert: her real name is Emily Archer. I can no doubt manage her. She is venal—and money will effectually silence her.’’ “But if she should heave already gossipped upon the subject ?” observed Lady Saxondale. “I do not think it is hkely,” returned Staunton : “but of course I cannot take upon myself to anewer for her discretion. You seo that I do not bucy you up with vain hopes.” “ No: it were foolish to do so. Will you retarn to London, upon some pretence, as soon as possible, and sce her? You shall have cheques upon my bankers, that you may possces adequate means to eatisfy her rapasity. Can you not pretend to- morrow that you have received some important letters from London requiring your prampt presence there ?” “Yea: leave it to me to manage,” replied Stann- ton, still thoughtfully and almost abstractedly, as if process. If by any accident he should cuntrive to | while he was talking upon one subjcet he was re- GON GoOO SS CO