The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 304: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 598 Our young hero then took his leave of Miss Sutton,—having previously assured himself, how- ever, that she had no need of pecuniary assistance : and retracing his steps to the railway station, he retarned by the next train to London. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when he reached the metropolis; and he forthwith repaired to Mr. Coleman’s offices in Bedford Row. The lawyer was at his place of business; and he immediately received Christian Ashton. Our young hero reported to him all that had occurred between himeelf and Amy Sutton; and Coleman listened with visible satisfaction on his counte- nance. “Everything progresses favourably,” said the lawyer, “for the grand, the solemn, and the awful denouement which her Majesty Queen Indora is contemplating. Travers isin our power: Madame Angelique is in our power: the villain Barnes is in our power. Amy Sutton will be forthcoming at any moment when we require her presence ; and we shall now have Wilson Stanhope in our power. But there’s something more still to be done-———” “Let me undertake it!’ exclaimed Christian en- thusiastically. ‘You know, my dear sir, there is nothing you can ask me to perform that I will not at once enter upon !” “JI know it,” responded Coleman; “and with eo much seal in this good cause, it is impossible that we shall fail in eventual success. Mesh by mesh the tangled skein which his own crimes have woven, is closing in around the Duke of March- mont; and he will live, Christian—he will live to encounter the ordeal! Scarcely an hour has elapsed since I obtained tidings concerning him. The dangerous crisis is pest ; and though he is still raving in the delirium of fever, yet the violence of that fever is subsiding, and his physicians have but small fear as to the result. Ah! little do they suspect for what they are bringing him back to life!—and fearful will be the awakening of that man from the unconsciousness which affords a temporary respite for him! But I was about to inform you——” * This new task which I have to undertake ?” exclaimed Christian eagerly. “You know,” resumed Mr. Coleman, “upon what grounds we were led to suspect that the villain Barnes had served as the instrument of the Dake of Marchmont’s design against the life of Queen Indora—that design to which Sagoonah fell a victim !” “ Yes,” replied Christian. “ From the inquiries made by the police, in consequence of the infor- mation given by old Mr. Carnabie, it was ascer- tained that the Burker in his disguise had been lurking about the Queen’s ville at the time the awful deed was committed——” ‘6 And as we knew,” proceeded Mr. Coleman, “that the deed iteelf arose from the instigation of the Duke of Marchmont, there was no doubt in coming to the conclusion that the Barker was his instrument. And such has proved to be the case: for the Burker yesterday confessed everything !” “Ah! he confessed?” exclaimed Christian. “Then circumstances are indeed favouring us!” “They are favouring us in all respects,” replied Mr. Coleman. “I myself elicited everything from that villain’s lips yesterday; and I returned to London Jast night. It appears from what he stated, that a lady overheard a certain discourse between himself and the Duke of Marchmont, soon after the assassin-attempt was made upon Sagoonsh’s life; and by the description, this lady is none other than Mrs. Oxenden.” “ Mrs. Oxenden P” ejaculated Christian. “ Ah! this accounts, then, for the intimacy which she formed with the Duke, and which the other day came to your knowledge.” “You perceive how we have been’ favoured,” said the lawyer, “by what the thoughtless crowd would term chance, but which the thinking man would call providence. Yes—Mrs. Oxenden has been the Duke's mistress; and her testimony may be serviceable. I have caused the strictest in- quiries to be made into her mode of life; and I find her to be, as you yourself represented her, one of the moet profligate of women. She maintains @ paramour—a young man of exquisite personal beauty, but as thoroughly depraved as horself, and with whom she is completely infatuated. My knowledge of the world teaches me that where there is such infatuation on the part of a woman, there is likewise the completest confidence; and however cautious she may be in every other re- spect—however strong-minded in the pursuance of her own worldly interesta—she is nevertheless weak and foolish under the influence of that infatuation, and she reveals all secrets. We must therefore got Mra. Oxenden into our power, through the medium of this Alexis Oliver. I¢ is for you, Christian, to form his acquaintance; and methioks I can are range a plan by which you can render him a ser- vice,—a service whereby you may all the more effectually gain his confidence and secure a hold over him. But inasmuch as Mrs. Oxenden knows you and has little reason to like you, she would speak prejudicially of you to Oliver; and there. fore in your dealings with him you must assume another name.” “‘I comprehend !” observed Christian ; “and I mt lose no time in entering upon this new uty.” Mr. Coleman and our young hero conversed to- gether for some little while longer; and then the latter took his departure from the office in Bed. ford Row. CHAPTER CXLII. ALEXIS OLIVER. Iz was about eight o’clook in the evening of that same day; and the scone shifts to an hotel at — the West End. In the coffee-room of this hotel Alexis Oliver was seated at a table, sipping his claret, and now and then partaking of the dessert spread before him. We have already said that he was a young man of remarkable personal beauty—not above one-and- twenty—anc possessed of features chiselled to a degree of even feminine delicacy. With a purse well filled from the ample resources of Mra. Oxen- den, Alexis was leading a life of dissipation, and enjoying himself in the manner best suited to his depraved tastes and debauched habits, He was seated at that table, reflecting joyously COMIC OOOlK<S conn