The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 157: what you’re looking at

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a —_— 142 aaa a ee ee ment that thus seized upon her—she a!lowed herself to be carried away on the flood of ecstatic feelings which engulfed her soul; and though she gave not back again that burning kiss, she nevertheless with- drew not the mouth to which it seemed to grow. But when the Prince, encouraged by this apparent abandonment of her person to him, sought to snatch farther favours, she violently disengaged herself from his arms—and, hurriedly arranging the bosom of her dress, which his daring hand had disturbed, she ex- claimed, “ Think not that you obtained the least par- ticle of permanent advantage over me. Amazement —confusion—bewilderment rendered me weak for a moment: but your Royal Highness must not again venture to treat me with insult.” And, having thus spoken, she rang the bell, “In the name of God! what do you mean, lovely Countess?” demanded the Prince, almost astounded by this proceeding, and likewise starting up from the sofa. “Compose yourself,” said Eleanor, with a calm and noble dignity: then, as the door opened and a domestic appeared, she exclaimed, “ His Royal High- ness desires that his carriage may immediately be drawn up to the door.” “His Royal Highness’s carriage is in attendance, my lady,” responded the lacquey. “You shall yet be mine, haughty beauty—I swear it!” whispered the Prince hurriedly, as he affected to bow in a ceremonious manner ére- he took his de- parture. “J thank your Royal Highness for the honour of this visit,” said the Countess aloud—so that the ser- vant who held the door open observed not that any- thing unusual was taking place. The Prince darted upon Eleanor a look of mingled licentiousness and menace, and quitted the room, CHAPTER XLI CAROLINE AND THE YOUNG LADY. Wr must now return to the abode of Mrs. Lindley in Fore Street, Lambeth. Three days had passed since that terrible night on which Caroline Walters had contemplated the hor- rors of the store-room, and had heard the small shrill shriek of the new-born child whom the old harridan had so ruthlessly consigned to the dark depths of the turbid Thames. It will be recollected that she had already cherished a sentiment of vengeance against the man who had seduced and betrayed her—and that she afterwards united with that resolve a vow to seek some means of punishing the old midwife who had enacted the principal part in the appalling tragedy of that dread- ful night. During the three days which had elapsed since then, Caroline had pondered—deeply pondered—on those resolutions; and the more she meditated upon them, the more were they strengthened in her bosom. But she was at present powerless: and many weeks must probably elapse ere she would be again free and in a condition to enter upon the execution of her designs. Nor as yet had those designs assumed any settled shape in her imagination: she nursed them —she clung to them ;—but she must trust to accident to point out the way to carry them into effect. At all events, for the time being it was necessary SR THE MYSTERIES. a ee for her to maintain a ealm, placid, and even con- tented demeanour in the presence of Mrs. Lindley and the young ladies who were her fellow-lodgers in the accursed establishment: for she, poor girl, was so utterly friendless that she was compelled to sub- mit to all the arrangements which Mrs. Brace had made for her;—and, being in the way to become a mother, she naturally clung to the’ asylum, though vile and abhorrent it were, which had been provided for her against the time when the hour of suffering and the pangs of maternity should overtake her. But she nevertheless vowed within herself that if the child which was then moving in her bosom should be born alive, it should escape the murderous inten- tions which Mrs. Lindley doubtless had in store with regard to it. Lhe ciock at Lambeth Palace had proclaimed the hour of six in the evening, and Caroline Walters was in conversation with her fellow-lodgers in the sitting-room allotted to them generally, when an old nurse entered and summoned her to the presence of the midwife. Caroline repaired to the parlour where Mrs. Lind- ley was seated; but she shuddered when the reptile- like gaze of that woman was fixed upon her—for never since the right of horrors had she met that look without experiencing a cold sensation as if the hand of a corpse were passing slowly over her naked flesh. “ Shut the door, my dear child,” said Mrs. Lindley, speaking in that subdued tone which had become habitual to her. “ Hush! not so violently—remem- ber there’s an invalid up-stairs. And now sit down fora few moments: I wish to speak to you par- ticularly.” Caroline took a chair, and awaited in silence the communication that was to follow. “My dear girl,” resumed Mrs. Lindley, caressing her great black cat, but still keeping her eyes steadily fixed on Miss Walters,—“I have selected you from amongst the rest to undertake an office which may afford a little variety and change for you. You are aware that in the next chamber to yours a young lady has very recently become a mother. Fortunately for her, poor thing! the child was born dead But what is the matter with you, my love?” suddenly exclaimed the midwife. “ You appear to be unwell ?” “No, ma’am—it is nothing,” hastily responded Caroline, who had been unable to subdue a shudder which was this time fully perceptible: for her whole frame had become convulsed on hearing the dread- ful woman give utterance to so calm and deliberate a falsehood respecting the young lady’s child. “ It is nothing, I can assure you,” repeated Miss Walters, fearful of exciting a suspicion that she knew the real truth regarding that murdered infant. “ But what you were saying made me think that my time is rapidly approaching % « Hush!” murmured the midwife, placing her long Jean finger to her thin pale lip, and contracting her thick and prominent eye-brows: “the very walls have ears, as I am constantly telling you all! But you must not give way to nervous apprehensions, my love: you must keep up your courage—and you will pass through the ordeal in safety. Recolleet that I yield the palm of skill and success in mid- wifery to no living practitioner, male or female; and therefore itis fortunate for you that our dear kind friend, the excellent Mrs. Brace, has entrusted you LI COLMA ehooksscom