The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

384 grief on account of Sagoonsh’s flight, inasmuch as Indora had given her to understand that the direst calamity to Mr. Redcliffe might be the result: for Christina had yet to Jearn that her brother’s benefactor bore a lordly title. The Queen had assured Christina that she acquitted her of all blame in reference to Sagoonab’s escape: bat stili the maiden reproached herself for not having exercised a sufficient degree of vigilance. Indora found her weeping in her chamber; and before ahe broke the fatal tidings, she renewed her de- claration that Christina was utterly absolved from all blame on the one point which so sorely troubled her. Then the sad intelligence was imparted ; and Christina learnt for the first time all the mysteries which had hitherto attached themselves to him whom sbe had only known as Mr. Redcliffe. Wild was the anguish of our heroine on hearing how terribly the Queen’s presentiment was fulfilled, and how stupendous was the mischief which had resulted from "a escape. . Christian Ashton now arrived at the villa. He had bean passing some hours with Isabella Vin- cent: he had returned to Mortimer Street at the usual hour for dinner; and there he learnt from Mrs. Macaulay the terrible event which had taken place, and the rumour of which had just reached the landlady. Half frantic on his benefactor’s ac- coant, and firmly convinced of his innocence— although until this moment ho had ever believed in Bertram Vivian’s guilt—Christian sped to Bow Street: but the case was over—and Lord Clandon had been removed to Newgate. Christian, in a state of mind bordering upon frensy, proclaimed his intention of hastening to the prison to see his benefactor; but he was assured that it was too late that day to obtain admittance. He therefore sped to the villa, which he reached at the moment when the Queen had finished her sad narrative to Christina. The three—namely, her Majesty and the twins “were now grouped together in an apartment on the ground-floor; and they were conversing in deep mourntulness on the one engrossing topic. “But we must not despair!” said the Queen: “for God is powerful and just—and he will make the innocence of our friend apparent. Gradually for a long time past have incidents been develop- ing themselves towards this end; and the sudden explosion of to-day may prove after all a n link in the chain, according to the inscrutable mre of heaven. Ob, no! we must noé de- The twins gathered comfort from Indora’s words ; and it moreover occurred to them that she entertained hopes and projects which she did not deem it requisite at that instant to make known. There was a long interval of silence ; and the lamp which was burning upon the table, shone upon the three mournful countenances of those who were in that room : for notwithstanding the hope which Indora cherished, and the partial consolation her language had infused into the hearte of the twins, they all continued to fee] deeply the position in which Lord Clandon was placed. The front door of the villa was standing open ; and if now struck the Queen and the twins that the handle of the door of the room iteclf was agitated. They looked in that direction: the door opened slowly; and Christina at once recognised THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. the dress which had been purloined from her own chamber. “Sagoonah!” was the ejaculation which in mingled horror and astonishment burst from her lipe. “Yes, it is I—the wretched, the guilty Sa- goonsh !” said the Hindoo woman, as she advanced into the room. She flung off the borrowed bonnet which she wore; and as the light of the lamp fell upon her countenance, it showed that a ghastly expression seat upon the natural duskiness of her complexion. Christian and Christina had started up from their seats in disgust and abhorrence towards the vile authoress of the calamity which had stricken their friend ; Queen Indora was rendered speechless with amazement at the presence of one who she thought would never seek to behold her counte- nance again. “Lady,” said advancing towards the Queen, “as you hope for mercy in the next world, have mercy upon moe in this !” “ Sagoonah,” replied Indora, coldly, and almost sternly, “ there are deeds beyond all pardon ; and you have been guilty of one to-day. Depart hence !—for if you linger, it will be only to pro- voke me to wreak a vengeance upon you !” ** Lady, if you would kill me,” answered the ayah, in a voice expressive of utter misery, “ you would be rendering me a service, at the same time that you would be inflicting a most righteous doom. You cannot loathe me more than I loathe myself: you cannot hold me in greater abhorrence than I am self-abhorred in the intensity of my own feelings. I have been mad: but now I have become lucid—and the clearness of my mind is horrible. Through the deep clear waters of the rivers in our own native land, have I beheld hideous monsters agitating in those profandities; —and thus on looking down into the depths of my own soul, do I discern things that appal, eni shock, and horrify me. Although I must saffer terribly hereafter, I am suffering terribly now! There isa hell upon earth; and this hell has com- menced with me. Now, lady, can you not have pity upon me,—yox who are so good, so generous, so merciful !” There was an indescribable anguish in Sagoo- nah’s tone—a kindred agony in her looks. Her large coal-black eyes appeared to burn with the fearful fires that were consuming her within; and their terrific lustre played like flashes about her brows, as if she had received a portion of the doom endured by the fallen angels in that pandemonium to which the blasting lightnings of heaven bad hurled them down. Christian and Christina looked on, eppalled—dismayed—yet full of intensest loath- ing and horror, as if upon the corpse of one who had died of the plague and had come to bring its hideous infection unte them. Queen Indora rose from her seat: there was a death-like pallor upon the delicate duskiness of her complexion; but her aspect was cold, stern, and implacable. “Sagoonah,” she said, “it is impossible I can pardon you! There breathes not upon earth a more guilty creature than yourself. I look upon you as something more hideous, more envenomed, and more dangerous than the very reptile which some time back you brought into the house that it might deal death to me with ite poisoned fangs.” COMME OOO cS) (CO