The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

THE WYSTERIES OF THE COURT. they were so firmly interwoven as it were that I was compelled to use more violence than one likes to exhibit towards the dead, in order to get them asunder. I laid them side by side on the slope rising from the stream to the foot of the precipi- tous height ; and then I sped for assistance.” By the time this narrative was finished, Isabella and the steward reached the grove through which the path went slightly winding towards the bridge. The grove consisted chiefly of fir-trees; and as these retained their verdure, they formed a screen veiling the bridge until a turn in the path sud- denly brought the young lady and the steward in sight of it. The gurgling of the waters in the depth of the abyss met their ears; and Isabella shuddered at the thought that in those depths her relatives had met their doom ! “The bridge has now two rails, you perceive, Miss,” said the steward: “but at the time when the event took place, it only had one. Imme- diately after the occurrence I ordered another to be fixed up; and the paseage of the old bridge is now somewhat safer—though an incautious, a timid, or a tipsy person might still easily alip through.” ‘Tet the building of the new bridge be added to the list of improvements which I suggested yesterday,” said Isabella. *¢ T@ shall be done, Miss,” answered the steward, with a respectful bow. Isabella now entered upon the bridge; and the ateward pointed out to her where the handkerchief was found and where the piece of the dress was discovered fluttering. The young lady looked down shudderingly into the depth where the tor- rent, swollen by recent rains, was eddying and foaming: but she soon raised her eyes, for her brain grew dizzy. “You perceive, Miss,” said the staward, indi- the contrary direction, “where the side of the dell rises into that eminence. There is a bridle path along there. It was much further off from the edge some few years ago: but with the falling- in of the earth it is getting nearer and nearer. It was along that path I was coming when I caught sight of the two bodies—which however at first seemed only one object—in the depth below. You msy observe where a stunted tree grows sloping out from the precipitous side of that eminence. A few yards on this side of the exact spot which it overhangs, lay the corpses, which tho force of the torrent had swept thither until the stones arrested their farther It is singular,” added the steward, with a significantly sombre look, “ but there is a legend attached to this bridge ; and your two relations, Miss, formed the second pair who were found in that very spot, the female with her arms clasped tight round the neck of her male companion :—and hence the name of the Maiden’s 98 “Indeed, this is singular!’ said Yeabella, a thousand circumstances connected coased Adolphus and Ethel rushing in unto her memory. “I never heard that legend: have the goodness to recite it while we slowly pursue our walk on the other side of this bridge ; for my brain feels dizzy while I stand here.” « And by crossing the bridge, Miss,” rejoined the steward, “you wifl behold the very cottages with which the 9 likewise associnted.” with the de- | did] The steward then proceeded to tell the tale which is already known to the reader; and if he did not embellish it with such poetic lan guage as that which Adolphus had used when reciting the tale to Ethel, he nevertheless preserved all the facts; so that Isabella listened with a profound at- tention. By the time the narrative was finished, they reached the vicinity of the cottages; and the steward remarked, “ By the bye, Mise, I was going to mention to you that a poor shepherd who in- habits one of these dwellings, has his wife excoed- ingly ill. Ihave done a great deal for the woman: the doctor hag attended her-—TI havo sent her all kinds of necessaries: but she seems in a very low way; and it would perhaps cheer her if you would con to look m upon her.” “Ah! most willingly shall I perform this duty,” said Isabella. “ Let us enter the habitation of the invalid.” They entered it accordingly. It was a small cottage, having only two rooms, the inner one of which contained the shepherd’s wife. She was a woman of about forty—pale and emaciated with illness; her husband was absent at his work: their daughter—a: girl of twelve or thirteen—was at- tending upon her invalid mother. The steward Yemained in the outer room, while Miss Vincent entered that where the invalid ocoupied a comfort- able bed—thanks to the generosity of Isabelin’s humane intendant. When Miss Vineent announced herself, the woman was greatly affected by what she conceived the honour thus done her: but the young lady gave her to understand that sho regarded it merely as a duty which, as the owner of the estate, she was performing. The invalid was in a low and desponding way, as the steward had already inti- mated; and it was only with a sickly smile that she her thanks for the assurance made by Isabella that she should not be neglected. All of a sudden the woman said to her young daughter, “Go into the other room, my dear child: I wish to speak to our kind benefactrees, alone.” The girl obeyed the mandate; and when the door in the partition closed behind her, the invalid woman, raising herself up in the bed, looked ear- nestly at Isabella—and said, “I have something, Miss, that lics heavy on my mind—something I have longed to tell, but have noé dared. As yet only my husband knows it; and he bade me keep silent. But you have spoken such kind words to me, and your looks are so sweet and amiable, that I feel I must tell the secret to you.” " “What is it?’ asked Isabella, with the awe- inspiring apprehension that she was about to listen to the revelation of a crime. “I do not know that I have done anything very, very wrong,” resumed the woman: “ but still I have been afraid, because ” “Tell me what you have to say,” interrupted the young lady, full of anxiety ; “and I wilt can- y give you my opinion upon your conduct, whatever it may have been.” “JT am about to speak, Miss, of something that happened here-—-I mean in the del——" “The death of my relations?” interjected Yea- bella, in feverish suspense. “Yes, Miss,” responded the woman. “T never’ told any one except my husband: but—but—I heard and saw it all !” COUMIUC NOOK (CO