The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

a a ea a acca aaaaaraccctacaal THE MYSTERIES OF THB COURT. Ne —— eee 814 “TI wasso, your Majesty,” responded Travers: and a moan came forth from the throat of the wretched Marchmont. “You remember the night when the late Duke of Marchmont was murdered P” continued Indora : “and you recollect that the faithful dog—no doubt in the attempt to save his beloved master from the assassin-blow, or else to punish him who dealt it— had torn off a piece of the garment worn at the time by that aseassin P” “ All this I recollect, madam,” replied Travers. “Enough! enough!” wildly ejaculated March- mont; and his eyes glared in their cavernous sockets. ‘ Why revive the horrors of that night P Ob, madam! who are you that you have come as an a p” " “T am here to proclaim innocence and to expose guilt,” was the solemn answer which the Queen gave in interruption of the Duke’s wild speech. “Travers, reply to me,—reply to me how as truth- fully as you have previously made the confession ! From whoee garment was that piece rent off which the faithful dog bore in its mouth ?” “JT¢ was his!” responded Travers: and he pointed to Marchmont. Hollow and dreadful was the moan which came slowly forth from the lips of the criminal: a diszzi- ness spread iteelf before his vision; and he would probably have fainted, hed not Queen Indora sud- denly laid her hand lightly upon his arm, saying, ** Come with me.” She opened an inner door; and Marchmont fol- lowed her. Another room was entered. This also was unchanged as to its usual appointments; and lights were burning there. Christian and Christina Ashton rose from their seats as the Queen entered : they were both very pale with suspense; for they knew that something was to happen which inti- thately regarded themselves—though they were utterly unconscious of what this might be. The Duke did not appear to take particular notice of them: his energies were again palsied—hbe again felt as if he were walking in a dream | The Queen closed the door of this room, into which Armytage had not followed herself and Marchmont ; and without an instant’s delay, she snatched up an object which lay in a recess. This object gleamed bright across the vision of the wretched nobleman; and a cry of horror burst from his lips as he recognised it. It was a dag- ger,—that same dagger which has before been so often mentioned in the pages of our narrative. “ Behold,” exclaimed Indora, as she raised the weapon in her right arm, while her form appeared to dilate, and her countenance assumed the ex- peession of an avenging goddess,—“ behold the dagger with which you took the life of your uncle !"—then pointing towards the twins with her left hand, she added, almost in the same breath, “And there behold the children of your murdered victim! In this youth you may see the rightfal Duke of Marehmont !” “O God!” moaned the wretched murderer: and overwhelmed by fearfullest horror, he sank upon his knees, while the twins clung to each other in wildest astonishment at the words which Teen just heard from the lips of Queen er ee CHAPTER CXLVI. CLOSE OF THE TRIBUBAL. Tus five witnesses had remained in their eeats upon the dais in the Hindoo guards had likewise continued in that room, mute and motionless: but their presence was sufficiently indicative of the inatility of any semi-obecurity that black y covered that door which hed re- cently stood half open: solemnly awful contineacd to be the aspect of the tribunal. Presently, after nearly an hour’s absence, Queen Indora returned. She eame back alone: the pri- ere she quitted that apartment: for her feelings had been most powerfully wrought—and if she had experienced much satisfagzign in sucosesful carrying out all her she had Hauwise (ols much pain at the various details of their execatice. Slowly she walked; and once more she sscended the throne. She did not immediately speak: dead silence still prevailed for a few minutes, while all the witnesses contemplated her with anxiety and suspense. At length she broke that silence. “The solemn object for which this tribunal wes constituted,” she said, “has been achieved; by the merciful assistance of heaven I have come the instrument of accomplishing signal this night. Know ye all who listen to me, Bertram Vivian, now a prisover in a felon's in London, is innocent of that foal aime murder which is inst him, and ander the imputation of which hie good name has eaf- fered for so many, many long years! It was not by Ade hand that his late unole perished: the hand which dealt the assassin-blow was that of him who Amy Sutton, and the. Barker were likewise dat little astonished to hear the announcement that was just made. : ** Yes,” continued Queen Indora, “ inncesses s made apparent and guilt is exposed—the usarper is dispossessed of the title which he had so long fraudulently borne—and his ducal coronet will henceforth be worn by him to whom it descends as a lawful heritage. I allude not to Bertram Vivian. Moet of you, if not all, are acquainted with the name of Christian Ashton; and thet excellent, Well as the listeners were prepared for the pre- vious announcement,—yet utterly unexpected by them wae the intelligence that had just falles an! COUMIUC SS loo (CO