The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

-_ w= y he 1823 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “All right, my lord,” resumed the Barker. “This arternoon I returned to the wiila; and I soon saw her ladyship walking in her garden. She had company with her; and so I was again com- pelled to wait. But arter a while she came ont to walk alone; and then I drove my good olasp-knife so deep into her buszsim that she dropped down with scarce a groan.” “This is true?—you are not deceiving me f”’ said the Duke, quivering with anxious suspense. “ How am I to know that you have done this?” “Send and inquire if you like, my lord,” an- swered the Burker with brutal flippancy. “Or Pil be bound to say you'll read all about it in to- morrow morning’s paper.” “* And you are certain that the blow was surely dealt ?” demanded the Dake. “ Look you, my lord,” responded the Burker, drawing out his clasp-knife. “This biade is a long one: it went right down to the handle: here’s the marks of blood upon it; and here’s my an- kercher, which I wiped it on as I rushed away from the spot.” “Enough!” ejaculated the Duke, averting bis from the sickening evidences. of the crime which had been committed at his instigation. “J hadn’t failed to observe that the Lady In- doors—or whatever her name was,” continued the assassin, “ walked about with the whole contents of a joweller’s shop crowded on her person and dress; and I did mean to help myself to a few of them trifles. Bat just arter the blow was struck, I heerd footsteps coming from the direction of the willa; and as the lady had given a sort of skreek when I fast busted out upon her, I in coarse thought it had been heerd indoors and the ser- vants was a-coming to see what it all meant. So I'd only just time to draw out my clasp-knife from the wound—which was a precious deep one, I know !—and then I scud away as fast as my legs could carry me. Now your Grace knows every- think; and you may give me my rew The Duke was in the act of drawing forth his purse—which was crammed with gold end bank- notes—when a strange rustling noise, apparently coming from behind the screen or the closed peries of one of the windows, fell upon the ears of both himeelf and the Burker. They started up with dismay in their looks: bat this feeling was expressed with a far more ghastly and horror- stricken aspect on the part of the nobleman than on that of the assassin. For a few instants the Duke stood irresolute — a prey to the most agonising torture: then rushing towards the screen, dashed it aside—seized upon the window draperies and tore them asunder. A faint shriek rang forth ; and he beheld a lady who was a total stranger to ‘him. An ejaculation of ferocious rage dropped from the lips of the Burker ; and his hand was already clatching his clasp-knife,—when the lady fell upon her knees, murmurinz, “ For heaven’s sake spare me! spare m =I beseech you! Your secret is safe!’ Horror at all that she had heard, and wild terror at the aspect of the Barker, were blended in her looks. The Duke of Marchmont was well nigh distracted : all the most frightful perils ap- peared to be environing him : his brain grew dissy —his sight became dim—he reeled back a few paces, as if intoxicated with wine. “ Dismiss this dreadfal man !—for heaven's sake send him away!” eaid the lady, accosting the Duke with looks that in terror appealed to him, while with horror they shrank from the ferocious gaze of the Burker. “I have heard nothing I mean,” she continued confusedly, and in a dread- fully excited manner, “I will keep silent—I will not betray anything—no, not for the world !” Encouraged by this assurance, and aroused to sudden energy by the desperation of the horrible circumstances in which he found himself placed, the Duke of Marchmont quickly drew forth his purse and a key; and he said to the Burker, “ Here —depart! There is more than the reward I pro- mised { Let yourself out by the way that we came! For heaven's eake lose not aninstant! Away with you !—get out of London—leave Kngiand at ance —immediately.” These injunctions were issucd in a low, hoarse, but hurried whisper; and hastening to unlock the door of the library, the Duke pushed the Barker thence. The miscreant—judging by the weight and the feel of the purse that one end was heavy with gold and the other crammed with bank-notes —had no reason to tarry any longer; and he suc- ceeded in effecting his exit from the premises without being observed by any of the depen- The Dake of Marchmont was left alone with this lady who was unknown to him. He locked the of | door again: and accosting her with a countenance that was ghastly pale, and in a voics that was now hollow with deeply concentrated emotions in which horrer was predominant, he said, “ Who are you? and how came you here P”’ The lady—who was evidently much relieved by the disappearance of the Burker, and who was paturely of a courageous disposition—had by this time fully recovered her own presence of mind ; and she said, “ My lord, you have nothing to fear. I know everything; I overheard everything: but let us at once understand each other :”—and then bendiog her superb dark eyes significantly apon the Duke’s countenance, she added, “ Your Grace can recompense me for keeping your secret.” “Yes, yes!” he eagerly exclaimed: “anything —everything !—there is nothing you can ask which I will not grant!” “Good, my lord,” she observed: “I knew that we should understand each other. And now un- lock that door: for one of your domestics knows that I am here—and he may happen to enter—or rather seek to enter—when it would appear strange to find that the door was secured.” The lady sate herself calmly down: the Duke hastened to unlock the door; and then returning towards her, he also took a seat, anxiously awaiting whatsoever explanation she might have to give. Though still tortured with agonizing feelings, he nevertheless had now leisure to contemplate her more attentively than he had hitherto done. She was apparently about thirty years af age—of tall stature, and splendidly formed. Her countenance was handsome; her hair dark—ber eyes, of cor- responding hue, large and lustrous. Sensuousness and decision were depicted in the expression of her features, and in the boldaces—indeed we mizht say the hardihood of the looks which she bent upon the Duke. She was beautifully apparelled in ball- costume; and therefore was evidently one of the ElOOO (CO (CO