The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 326: what you’re looking at

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ee THE MYSTERIES OP THE COURT. 315 upon their eere. Astonishment was depicted upon their countenances: but there was at least one amonget them who was rejoiced at the good for- tune of our young bero—and this was Amy Button. | “ It now only remains for me,” continued Queen Indora, “to announce my intentions to some who are here present, and to address a few perting words to the others. For the remainder of this night you will all be reconsigned to the places which you have respectively oocupied since you be- esame the inmates ot Oaklands; and to-morrow you will all individually depart hence. Let me hope that tiie solemn scene which you, Mr. Stan- hope, bave this night beheld, will have upon you a eslutery effect—and that henceforth you will strive by some honourable means to earn your livelihood, inatead of selling yourself as the instrument of wrong-doing and crime, for patrician gold. That your hand is not stained with murder’s blood, must rather be attributed to accidental circumstances than to a positive absence of a most criminal readiness on your pert: for on the night when you drove your bargain with him who thes bore the title of Duke of Marehmont, every syllable that between you was heard by Bertram Vivian ; and it was his appearance at the casement behind the chair in which you were seated, that produced so tremendous an effect upon that criminal. To you, however, Mr. Stanhope, I need say no more— unless it be to repeat my earnest hope that all you have thie night witnessed may have its salu- tary influence upon you. From these things learn that though wickedness may prosper for a time, yot that in the end this prosperity is certain to turn into the bitterest adversity.” The Queen paused for a few momente—while Wileon Stanhope, hanging down hie head, seemed to experience all the effect which her impressive words were intended to convey. “ Amy Sutton,” resumed the Queen, now ad- dressing this young woman ina kind and oom: passionating tone, “you have been rendered the victim of a villain, and if your soul has cherished @ poignant feeling of vengeance against him it is impossible to blame you. You have now witnessed bis downfall; and that feeling must be thereby appeased. In this native land of your’s it is searcely probable that you could henceforth rience bappiness. Ina short time I shall return to my own country ; and I propose that you shoald follow me thither. I offer you about my own per- son a situation of confidence and emolument; and your welfare shall be in my charge. Your sister may accompany you if you desire it, and if you think that by removing ber from the scene of those temptations which have proved fatal to her honour, she will be led to repentance and to a better course of life. To my person, however, she cannot be attached: but when I reach the capital city of my own kingdom, I will place her in some position that may afford her the opportunity of eating the bread of honest industry. The frail and erring Marion was yesterday removed from the house in which she has been dwelling in dishonour ; and she ie now the occupant of a humbler home, where you may juin her until the period for my departure to my own native clime shal] arrive.” Amy Sutton threw herself at the feet of Queen Indora, whose hand she pressed in gratitude to her lipe; and she thaukfully accepted all the propo- sitions which had just been made. “To you, Mrs. Oxenden,” continued the Queen, “I can have but little to say—indeed nothing more than to reiterate the hope which I have ex. preesed to Mr. Stanhope that the scone of this bight may havea beneficial influence upon you. You will be restored to freedom: to-morrow you will go forth into the world again; and if you be wise you will endeavour by the respectability of your future career to make as much atonement as possible for your past misdeeds, The young man on whom you have been lavishing the gold which you received as the price of your own infamy, has been wounded in a duel which he himself provoked : but his injury was slight—and no disagreeable con- sequences will ensue. On the contrary, that inci- dent has been productive of beneficial results for Alexis Oliver. He has been made to feel the degradation of the position in which he was living with you: he is reconciled to his family; and opportunities will be afforded him of pursuing an honourable career. You must not therefore hope that the object of your infatuation will be restored to you;—and now once again do I express the hope that your own conduct will experience an alteration for the better.” Mrs. Oxenden listened with a subdued sullen- ness to the speech which thus flowed from Queen Indora’s lips; and perhaps she would have given some insolent reply if she had dared. But she was in awe of that illustrious lady who exer- cised the power as well as manifested the inclina- tion to reward or to punish: though as for peni- tence, Mrs. Oxenden possessed not a4 heart that was susceptible of the influences which might lead to such contrition. ‘As for you, man of many crimes,” proceeded Indora, now addressing herself to the Burker, “it were an outrage against society to leave you with- out chastisement. If you were handed over to the grasp of your country’s law, your life would be forfeited, and you would expiate on the scaffold the numerous iniqnities of which you have been guilty. In my estimation, however, the punish- ment of death is odious; and I hold the opinion that the great criminal should be treated as a ferocious beast, to be confined within bars that he may not follow the bent of his brutai bloodthirsty instincts. It is my purpose to transport you with the least possible delay to my own native country ; and there you will be confined in a fortress for the remainder of your life. In pronouncing this punishment, I must remind you that you have to congratulate yourself on escaping that doom which would be yours if you were to be subjected to the ordeal of British jastice.” The Burker made no reply: bat his ferocious countenance expressed tne utmost satisfaction at the intelligence that he was to be dealt with in a manner that would leave him in possession of life. . “You, vile woman,” proceeded Queen Indora, now addressing herself to Madame Angelique, “ have committed crimes which cannot be‘ left un- punished. If not a murderess, in fact, you have been so in heart: for deliberately and in cold blood did you instigate the unfortunate Sagoonah to make attempts upon my life. You have amassed a fortune by « career of infamy; and you shail 4 conniclooks,. conn