The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

259 | THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, 4 as I have been to effect my escape hence, yet that aspiration has now become secondary indeed to another hope which I have conceived, and on the fulfilment of which the former shall even be made todepend. For L am self-willed, Mr. Loftus,—yes, selt-willed and headstrong as I am petulant and impetuous: and therefore you must know, in one word that I love you—and that if you scorn this love of mine, it shall turn to the bitterest hatred!” “Miss Linden,” observed Loftus, coldly indig- nant, —“ you will provoke me to say things to which I should be sorry to give utterance.” “Mr. Loftus, if you mean war to the death, then war let it be!” cried Miss Linden: “ but in that case, remember that I shall not hesitate to sacri- fice myself in order to be revenged on you. I will therefore confess to the Prefect’s servant in the morning all the preparations for escape which have been made——” “Foolish young woman! you will draw down a terrible punishment upon yourself,” ejaculated Loftus. “You will perhaps be moved to another and far more dreadful prison ff “ What of all that, so long as I gratify my re- venge 2?” exclaimed Laura, “It is for you to decide whether you will provoke that vengeance, —whether you will continue to scorn, slight, and even insult me—or whether you will consent to gratify this whim I have conceived by becoining my lover for a week—a day—or only an hour, as you may choose? O Mr. Loftus, do not remain thus hard-hearted !—remember that I am beautiful —very beautiful—and the world will know naught of what takes place between us in an hour of yielding tenderness——” “Temptress, who art thou ?” exclaimed Jocelyn, now becoming angry and almost enraged: “thy voice is familiar to me—I am certain I have heard it before——” “Yes,” interrupted Laura, in alow tone: “and I have seen thee before—and I know more of thee thau thou thinkest—and I could breathe in thy ear the name which ought to have been in the pass- port——” “Then, who art thou ?—tell me who thou art!” ex- claimed our young hero, becoming more and more excited: “for there is something so strange--so mysterious in all this-——” “Stay—let me whisper a word to your ear,’ said Laura; “and you will then see that I know every- thing concerning you——” “Speak aloud, Miss Linden!” cried Jocelyn, who perceived by the rustling of her dress that she was approaching him through the pitchy darkness which prevailed. “Ah! you are afraid of me?” she exclaimed, scornfully. “Oh! what sickly sentimentalism— what a maudlin affectation of virtue is all this! Even the beauteous Louisa Stanley herself,” she coutinued with a marked accentuation upon a name which made Jocelyn start suddenly, — “could searce think well of one who seems not to be made of tlesh and blood !” “You have alluded to a young lady,” said Loftus, “‘ whose example it were well, Miss Linden, if you would follow. But let me beseech and im- plore you to put an end to a scene as derogatory as it is painful—as humiliating as it is ridicu- lous !” and then the lady’s voice suddenly vibrated upon Jocelyn’s ear, exclaiming, “Oh! I love thee—I love thee!”—and the next instant he heard her come bounding towards him like a serpent flinging its coils through the utter darkness at some ob- ject which a mysterious instinct impelled it to seize upon: so that ere Jocelyn had leisure to step back even a couple of paces, he was clasped in the arms of his midnight companion. Violent was that embrace, as if the young lady’s impassioned nature were wrought up to a frenzied pitch. The plump white arms were thrown so suddenly around his neck and held him in so firm a clasp, and the lips of the temptress were instan- taneously glued to his own with so burning an in- tenseness, that it seemed as if it were impossible for him to escape from the empire of such an amazonian assailant. But immediately recovering his presence of mind, he endeavoured io disen- gage himself from her embrace, in which however she held him with all the greater tenacity. He used a little more violence—and then she clung to him with the force of desperation. * Miss Linden—take care—I shall do you a mis- chief!” cried Jocelyn. * You would not ill-use a woman,” replied Laura: and she covered his face with frantic kisses, as if hurried away by the torrent of raging passions which she could not control. “By heaven, this is intolerabie!” cried Jocelyn. “ O shameless young woman!” * Ah! revile—abuse me as you will,” said Laura, with a triumphant tone: “but I will either perish, or compel you to fall vanquished into the arms of my consummated desires !” “ You force me to extremes!” cried Loftus, now seizing both her arms and somewhat violently dis- engaging them from about his neck. Laura struggled desperately to retain her hold— and Jocelyn could hear her gasping and moaning with rage, like a subdued tigress, when she fouud herself baffled and defeated in the conflict. But be it well understood that he exhibited not the slightest unnecessary violence towards her: he merely put forth his strength to a sufficient degree to unlock her arms from his neck. The strugyle was nevertheless a difficult one, inasmuch as it took place in the depth of a pitchy darkness: and it was therefore no fault of our hero’s, if Laura, suddenly tripping over a rug, fell heavily upon the floor—where she remained senseless. For a few moments Loftus, though deeply grieved at this incident, fancied that her immove- ability and silence were only a pretence: but find- ing that she continued thus still and speechless, he stooped down and laid his hand upon her fore- head. It was cold—and there was a clammy per- spiration upon it. Beginning to be seriously alarmed, he placed his hand upon her heart, aud felt that though it beat, the pulsation was never- theless slow and feeble. A mortal terror now seized upon him—for he feared that she might be in reality seriously injured and perhaps about to die; and for a few instants he felt so bewildered as scarcely to know what course to pursue. But suddenly it struck him that under such cir- cumstances he must not hesitate to procure a light at any risk. ‘The resolve was adopted and exe- cuted—tinder, flint, steel, and matches were at There was a dcad silence of nearly a minute: hand — in auother moment they were put into —_- SO - — (CLOLANTITELOKoNo) <SuG@