The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

eng gy ee we eee ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 325 stripped all British intelligence of events passing at the time I left my own native country: so that I still continued in the completest ignorance of the horrible tragedy which had occurred at Oaklands. I must here observe that it hap- pened, when I was engaged in a diplomatic capacity at Washington—prior to that fatal visit of mine to England which had led me to Osk- lands—I had obtained certain intelligence in re- spect to the policy of the United States’ Govern- ment towards Japan and China. I learnt on my arrival at Calontta that there were flying ramours of this contemplated policy: but no one seemed to understand the precise bearings thereof. I waited upon the Governor-General, and gave him such explanations that not only astonished him, but likewise proved to be of the highest import- ance; so that he was enabled to send off efficient instructions to the naval commanders in the Chinese seas, as well as to the British political agents in various quarters. My introduction to the Governor-General was thus most favourable to my views; and when I informed him that I had been attached to the British Embassy at Washing- ton he asked me no more questions: it never struck him that I might have borne another name; and he at once offered me employment in the civil service of India. This I accepted ; and in a very few days set off on a special mission to the Nisam. At that Sovereign’s Court I remained for upwards of a year, deeply engaged in diplomatic negotiations. No English newspaper ever reached me; and I thus continued in total ignorance of the events which so intimately regarded my character and good name in my native land. Having succeeded in all the objects for which I had been accredited to the Nizam’s Court, I was directed by a special courier bearing despatches from the Governor- General to repair on a similar Thission to the King of Inderabad. From various causes the small retinue with which I travelled, dwindled away; and I arrived alone at the chief city of Inderabad. There I found myself a prisoner. Years elapsed ; no inquiry was made after me—for the King of Inderabad, in order to accomplish his own aims, caused the rumour to be spread that I was no more. At length, in the year 1645, an English traveller was assassinated, by miscreants of the Thuggee caste, in a forest at no great distance from the city of Inderabad. Amongst his effects an English newspaper was discovered. Though sixteen years had then elapsed since the events at Oaklands, there was nevertheless a paragraph in that journal which alluded thereto. It was one of those paragraphs which frequently refer to any memorable occurrences connected with eminent families: and then, for the first time, I learnt that my uncle had been murdered—that I was branded as his assassin— that neither myself nor the Duchess Elisa had ever since been heard of—and it was supposed that we as a guilty pair had fled together to some remote part of the world, to elude the consequences of our crimes. I will not pause to depict the feelings with which I perused this statement: but I implored my freedom—and it was still refused. A short while afterwards I succeeded in effecting my escape,—bringing with me the immense wealth which the King of Indera- bad had levisbed in acknowledgment of various important services that I had rendered him. I returned to England; and my first care was to search the files of newspapers to gather a complete knowledge of all that had taken place after my precipitate flight from Onsklands. My hideous suspicions were confirmed: I comprehended but too well that my wretched brother must have been the murderer of his uncle, and that to save himself he had so combined all circumstances as to fix the guilt upon me. I need now say no more. Ina short time, and in another place, I shall be called upon to continue s narrative which is so replete with sad and memorable details. But I have said sufficient to prove the complete innoconce of the Duchess Elisa, and to show likewise how it was that so many long, long years elapsed ere I re- turned to this country to make inquiries into the past and to acopt the requisite measures for vindi- cating my own maligned reputation.” Lord Clandon ceased; and there were strong demonstrations of interest and sympathy through the court. The Judge addressed him in a compli- mentary manner—winding up a most appropriate speech with the intimation that he was now at freedom. Jord Clandon bowed, and left the court in company with his friends. CHAPTER OXLIX. THE COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES, ALTHOUGH the right and title of the young Duke of Marchmont appeared to have been universally admitted—although he entered at once upon pose session of the mansions, revenues, and vast do- mains—and although not the slightest opposition was from any quarter displayed, and no pettifogging attorney endeavoured to rake up a case with the view of being bought off so as not to throw trouble in the way—yet was it absolutely necessary, for the sake alike of form and law, that our young hero should prove his claims before a Committese of Privileges of the House of Lords. For this purpose the expiration of two or three months had to be awaited for the assembling of Parliament. Queen Indora therefore remained in England— because Lord Clandon was himself forced to tarry for that committee, and it was arranged that her Majesty and his lordship were to return to India together. , We will not now pause to describe how passed the time during this interval: but we will at once proceed to state thit on the assembling of Parlia- ment the Lords appointed a committee to con- duct the investigation. Mr. Coleman, assisted by able Doctors of Civil Law, managed the entire caso; and it was naturally his study to present the evidence in its most consecutive form to the noble committee. The young Duke of Marohmont himself was the first witness in his own case. He stated that him- self and his sister Christina had been brought up from their earliest infancy by a gentleman of the name of Ashton, who resided at a village in West- moreland, at a distance of about twenty-five miles from Woodbridge. Christian and Christina had always been led to suppose that Mr. Ashton was their uncle, and that their own parents had died when they were babes. Nothing had ever oc- COMIC DOG (CO