The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

220 THE COURT OF LONDON at home? ” she inquired, lowering her voice as if she fancied that the young nobleman himself might possibly overhear the question which she had just put to the farmer. ‘At home? here! my lady?” cried Farmer Brooks, as- tonished at the question. ‘‘ But I recollect,’ he added, in a calmer tone as he recovered from his amazement; ‘‘ you may not have heard of what has happened — ”’ ‘“ Has anything disagreeable occurred? ’’ demanded Lady Bellenden, with all the appearance of intense surprise and painful curiosity. ‘‘ Three months have elapsed, my lady,’’ responded the farmer, in a solemn tone, “ since Lord Raymond fled from Malden, yes, left us with a cruel abruptness that savoured even of ingratitude after all the attention we showed him and the endeavours we made to comfort and cheer him.” “Lord Raymond left you thus!” cried the marchioness. “ How astonishing that he should have acted in such an extraordinary manner! ”’ “ Perhaps, my lady,” suggested Margaret, in a deferential tone, “ the poor young nobleman is scarcely responsible for his actions, and he may have obeyed some sudden, irresistible impulse — ”’ ‘* That is what I and my wife have said to each other a thousand times since his lordship’s disappearance,” ex- claimed Farmer Brooks. ‘ Besides, he was often subjected to wild freaks of fancy and strange humours, which were wont to yield to fits of the deepest despondency. More than once has he said to me, ‘ My good friend, if I should suddenly take it into my head to leave your abode and set out on a pedestrian tour through the North of England do not be surprised. I sometimes feel as if nothing but violent exer- cise and a continuous change of scene will save me from going mad.’ And yet, although we were thus warned by Lord Raymond, we were alarmed and vexed when he dis- appeared so suddenly; but finding that letters soon after- ward arrived here addressed to him as usual, we felt reas- sured by the belief that his friends and relatives knew that he was safe — ” : ‘‘ Besides, what could possibly have happened to him? ” exclaimed the Marchioness of Bellenden. ‘ If he had been foully dealt with traces of the crime would have remained; and if he had committed suicide in a moment of intolerable Gomichboo Ss (E(0) m