The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

LLL ee Ge SER gnraneaseaD THE MYS8TERTES 2 * Well,” he. suddenly resumed, turning towards | Lady Bees, “ about yourself? You had a fortune, I suppose P” ‘T received some money,” she answered, still with a visible unwillingness to be thus questioned. “Oh! you received some money?” repeated Mr. . “Would you mind telling me how much? I can assure you that I ask not from mere curiosity — —” “Then I will tell you, sir,” responded Lady Bess. * T received five thousand pounds.” “Five thousand pounds! no more?” said Mr. Gunthorpe “Are you sure? Pray tell me the exact truth, without reserve.” “ That is the exact trutb,” replied Lady Bess, with increasing curiosity and surprise at this interroga- tory. “But I should add, in fairness to a certain individual, that I have latterly recstved a dsindred pounds quarterly, through an sttorney in London.” “ And that individual to whom you allude?” said Mr, Gunthorpe, somewhat eagerly: “pray tell me his name.” *I do not know wherefore I sould conceal it,” observed the amasonian lady: “for you can have none but a good motive im thus questioning mon” “Certainly not. On my soul, as a living man,” exclaimed Mr. Gunthorpe vehemently, “my motive is a good one. The name of that individual.” ‘Sir John Marston,” rejoined Elisabeth. “Ah! the villain!” muttered the old in a tone of deep execration. “But now another question, my dear Elisabeth—for so you must per- mit me to call you. You have been married—you are married husband——I presume as a matter of course his name is Chandos ?” OP TRE CoUust. “This is most remarkable,” said the old gentle- man, gazing in profoundest surprise cpon that handsome creature, of superb shape, who stood with half-averted countenance at a little distance from where he was seated. “But your husband, Elisa- beth,” he continued,—“pray do not hesitate to nor to mo upon this head. What was he? where iT] p” There is such an earnestness in your words, Mr. Gunthorpe,” replied the lady, now bending her magnificent eyes upon him again, “that I cannot help answering your questions. The man whom I married, .bore not the name of Chandos :”—then after a few moments’ hesitation, she said, ‘I would tell you what his real name is, but that I should perhaps be doing an injury to a young lady of whom I have heard some good solemnly, “ that necessity shall be respected by me. Tam a man of honour.” “Qh, you need not give me this assurance!” ex- clammed Lady Bess: “your conduct to Henrietta and her mother made me esteem you before I knew you. And now there is which impels me to give you my confidence and to reply to all your questions. If I chose to assume the title,” she added after another brief pause, “I could call my- self the Marchionces of Viliebelie !” “ Villebelle ?” ejaculated Mr: Gunthorpe. “ Ah! I comprehend. He ecleped some short time back with the Hon. Mies Constasice Pureliddd, Lady Saxon- dale’s ter.” “ And he has married her,” rejoined Lady Besa. “ Married hee P’”’ cried Mr. Gunthorpe, in astonish- ment. “Bat if he were previously married to Lady Bess blushed up to the very hair of her head, } you P” and uttered not a word. Me dear sir,” said Francis Paton, approaching Mr. Gunthorpe and bending down towards him, me for hinting that your words touch upon tcohan mot altogether arocabic to may sister.” “ Poor boy—poor girl! E would not willingly dr wilfully distress either of you,” said the old gentle- man, in a tremulous voice that showed he was much moved. “Klizabeth, believe what I say—I would not wantonly cause you pain. You have assured me that as a woman you can look without a blush upon your past life—thebtefore why not speak ot your husband? If he be dead, and you deplore his lose, I can sympathize with you: but if he be alive and separated from you, it can scarcely be from any . fault of your own, if your life has been pure and chaste? And that it has been so, I feel convineed : for there is something in your look whiok corrobo- rates your solemn affirmation.” “Ob, yes, Mr. Gunthorpe—most eacrediy can I repeat that assurance!” exclaimed Lady Bess: then as her voice suddenly sank into s lower and graver tone, the said, “ My life has had ite fauite: but that which woman y commits first, hae never tainted my name:”—and she averted her blushing countenance as she spoke. “ My ister has been married, Mr. Gunthorpe,” whi Francis Paton: “but she has never lived with her husband for a single day—no, nor for an hour, nor a minute. She is the same as‘if the ee ceremeny had never been performed at “ He was,” she observed: “bat I released him. I never loved him—lI ‘eared not for him. I have never known what love is,” she added, in a softer and gentler voice. “ But if he loved, I could pity him. And he did love. I met him a few weeks ago—after a long, long separation. I had never seen him since the day which united our hands at the altar. How could I consider that mock cere- mony binding? It was « marriage and no mar- riage. Well, sir, we met as I have already told you; and it was a few weeks back. He unbosomed all his secrets to me—and I voluntarily offered to piace in his hands whatsoever papers existed in mine as the proofs of our e.” “ And you did su?” said Mr. Ganthorpe. “Yes. But [ did not choose to meet him again: I therefore gave him an appointment for a par- tieular night and at a particular place. This was at King’s Cross; and I hed to bim a with the papers of which I have spoken. He has married Lady Saxondale’s younger daughter: they have gone to Madrid—and I hope that they will be happy.’ * But thie ia wonderful as a romance!” said Mr. Gunthorpe. You are a singular being, Eliza. | beth. I have not been quite an hour yet in your society, and I have discovered many excellent traits in your character :"—end he spoke with a sincerity and an earnestness that showed how deeply rested he really wag in the object of his eulogiea. “Accept my gratitude, dear sir » she answered, inte. | COMIC LOO SS CO