The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

ee eee ee rae =_— % THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 2 Her cheek was indeed pale, as the Queen had noticed: but this pallor was not the effect of the entertainment only. The young maiden had been thinking of all that took place between herself and Lord Octavian on the preceding night ; and though uot for a single instant did she regret the line of - oonduct she had pursued, yet she could not help feeling the influence of those occurrences. She loved one who was the husband of another; and with all her sense of duty it was impossible to stifle and crush this love inher heart. Yet there was a serenity, if not an actual happiness, in Christina's thoughts, when pondering the intention of Lord Octavian to rejoin his wife, the amiable Zoe. Christina felt as if the air of the garden did not do her any good—as if it wanted that olasticity and freshness which could alone benefit her ; and opening the gate, she passed into the road. Thence she turned into a lane at a little distance; and along this well-shaded narrow avenue she rambled with the book in her hand, but with her thoughts fixed on subjects far different from ite contents. Be it recollected that it is the month of September of which we are writing. The day had been sultry —it had ‘left a portion of its heaviness in the evening atmosphere; and this was the reason why Christina had fancied that the air in the garden had been deficient in elasticity. She was proceeding along the lane, when all of a sudden she heard fosteteps behind her, preceded by a sound as if of some one bursting through the hedge; and on looking back our heroine found her- self confronted by a figure that filled her with a sud- den terror. The aspect of the individual was alone sufficient to strike her with this dismay: but it was all the greater when the conviction rushed in unto her mind that sho beheld before her the ruffian of the previous night's adventure. The Lascar’s dress was just the same as it struck Christina to be when the fellow, having opened the door of the carriage, enatched the puree from her brother’s hand,—the same too as he subsequently described it to her. We need hardly add that the wretch was the Burker: but i¢ may be proper to observe that he now at onoe recognised Christina—for he bad seen her walking in the Queen’s garden at the time he was on the watch to consummate his murderous purpose. For a few moments Christina’s tongue was pera- lyzed with dismay; and she could not give vent to the scream which rose up in her throat. The Burker, who carried a bludgeon in his hand, burst out into a coarse chuckling laugh— and said, “You're an uncommon pretty gal; and it would be a sin to frighten you. Come, young Miss— just hand us over your puree, as well as that there gold watch and chain—and there's nuffin more to be said.” Christina swept her eyes up and down the lane: bat no one was to be seen except the ruffian who stood before her; and the nearest houses were too far off to be reached by a scream if she sent one pealing forth from her lips. She was frightened —she was dismayed: the Burker grew impatient —and in a still more savage tone than that in which he had before spoken, he exclaimed, “Out with the purse! off with the chain !—or by jingo Tl help myself \” The imprecation was however more terrible than the comparatively moderate one which we have inserted in ite place; and Christina was sinking with terror, when it struck her that she heard the sounds of a horse’s hoofs at a distance. Inspired by the hope of aid, she darted away from the spot, bus the ruffian was immediately at her heels—and in a few moments he violently seized her by her dress. Hor screams rang forth as she struggled desperately with the miscreant; and all of a sudden a horseman appeared round the corner of-a diverging lane. The Burker’s ear bad not caught the same sounds which had heralded this approach of succour to that of Christina; and he was suddenly stricken with alarm on beholding this unexpected appearance. For he in a moment recognised the horseman — although the latter recognised not him in that Lascar garb which he wore. Up to the spot the horseman rode: he sprang from his steed; and the Barker, who had let go his hold upon Christina, aimed a tremendous blow with his club at the young maiden’s champion. The latter dexterously avoided it—and sprang for- ward to grapple with the ruffian,—when the last- mentioned individual thought it better not to hazard a conflict; and rushing through the hedge, as he had done on the preceding night, he disappeared from the view of Christina and her deliverer. The young maiden was sinking with terror; for at one moment she had fancied that murder’s work would be done, and that nothing could save her champion from the fury of the blow dealt against him. Her deliverer now turned towards her; and with the most gentlemanly courtesy he spoke a fow reassuring words. Then he hastened to pick up her straw hat which had come off, as well as her book and her parasol which she had dropped in her fright. The horse meanwhile had remained upon the spot, although its rider had let the bridle go; and the animal was now feeding on the grass by the side of the lane. Christina expressed her gratitude in suitable terms; and feeling full of confusion on account of the dishevelled state of her hair and the disordered condition of her toilet, the blood came back to those cheeks which an instant. before were pale with terror. Her deliverer was struck by her extra- ordinary beauty, though there was nothing dis- respectful in his gaze: on the contrary his entire manner and conduct were marked by the kindest and most polished courtesy. He wasa young man —a little past four-and-twenty years of age— exceedingly handsome—and evidently belonging to the best sphere of society. He now turned aside under pretence of looking after his horse, but in reality to give Christins an opportunity of arrang- ing her hair and restoring her toilet. This the young maiden hastily did; and when her deliverer again turned towards her, it was still with blushes but with more eelf- ion than at first, that she renewed the expression of her thanks for the ser- vice he had rendered her. “Do not think the less of my courage,” said the gentleman, emiling,—“or rather perhaps I ought to entreat that you will not tax me with cowardice in not pursuing the raffian: but it was entirely through the fear that you were overcome by your alarm and might need prompt assistance. ” on “Tt would be impossible, sir,” replied Christina, ‘to harbour a thought so ungenerous, so unfounded, — GOnNGIOOKSHeOn