The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

rrr KK rte ; ; TT ene teen THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. — tiful art thou in death: and now thy soul is in heaven !” : Ariadne heard the two voices—the voice of the Baronet and the voice of her brother; and her ear lost not a single syllable that either voice thus uttered. But now those voices ceased, and were succeeded by the stifled sobs that proclaimed all the bitterness of Theodore’s anguish. Heavens! would no revulsion now take place in the condi- tions of her being? Yes—she felt a quivering at the heart—such a sensation as she had not hitherto ¢xperienced throughout her trance; and almost at the same instant her brother exclaimed in a tone wild with mingled hope and fear, “ Good heavens! her lips moved !” * Alas, no!” said the Baronet: “it was but the fitful play of a sunbeam through the opening in the window curtain.” * No, no!” cried Varian, in a tone of the most passionate and fervid exultation: “it is no dream —no delusion——There, behold it now !” * Almighty powers! it is so,” exclaimed the Baronet. “She lives—she lives !” All was now the most extraordinary confusion and excitement in that chamber. Ariadne was lifted out of the shell and placed upon the couch, —a quivering of the lips and a faint, or rather scarcely audible gasping, now being the unmis- takable signs of returning consciousness. The undertaker and his men were hurried out of the room with the paraphernalia of death: Lady Er- nestina and the housekeeper were summoned thither: —and Sir Douglas Huntingdon himself sped away to fetch Doctor Copperas. Fortunately the physician was at home at the moment; but scarcely had the Baronet explained to him ina few hurried words the resuscitation of Ariadne, when he exclaimed, “I will hurry off to. Leveson House at once: but do you proceed to May Fair and fetch that truly eminent man, Doctor Thurs- ton.” Away sped Doctor Copperas in one direction and the Baronet in another. Doctor Thurston was at home: and on being informed by Sir Douglas of what had occurred, he said, “ Most fortunate is it that Doctor Copperas has hastened to take the case in hand. ‘There is not another man in England who has such experience in occur- rences of suspended auimation.” While thus speaking, Doctor Thurston put on his hat and gloves, and accompanied the Baronet to Leveson ilouse, where in the meantime Ariadue had returned to complete cousciousness. We need hardly say that the scene which then took place, between the brother and sister thus reunited under such extraordinary cireumstances, was touching in the extreme. ‘Theodore strained Ariadne to his breast and covered her with the tenderest caresses. Ernestina and the house- keeper, fearful that some explanation might take place on the part of the damsel relative to the treatment she had received at the mansion, be- sought Theodore to withdraw, alleging as the rea- son that this prolonged excitement on the part of Ariadne might be followed by a relapse. But when the youny girl beheld the housekeeper at her bedside and caught a glimpse of the Marquis of Leveson at the other extremity of the room, she clung tenaciously to her brother’s neck, murmur- Se ee — 843 Theodore—do not leave me—Oh ! do not leave me again, I beseech you!” The brother saw by the affrighted manner in which her azure eyes swept their looks around, that she was in dread of those present; and it | instantaneously flashed to his mind that she had perchance experienced some foul play, and that he was not as yet acquainted with all the cireum- stances of her supposed death. Indeed, when first informed, through the medium of the Barouet’s letter, that his sister had died beneath the roof of the Marquis of Leveson, vague and undefined suspicions of evil had sprung up in his imagiuation; for the name of Leveson was known to him as that of a nobleman much addicted to pleasure. ‘This suspicion now appeared to receive confirmation from Ariadne’s afivigbted manner: but it was not the moment and it was not the place for him to make inquiries into past circumstances. Indeed, he had scarcely time to breathe a few reassuring words in Ariadne’s ear, when Doctor Copperas arrived. The young maiden at once recognised the phy- sician, and welcomed him as a friend. The house- keeper, observing that Ariadne viewed her with evident mistrust and aversion, stole out of the room; and the Marquis speedily followed her. Lady Ernestina however remained; and by at once adopting the kindest, most soothing, and the tenderest manner towards Ariadne, she made a favourable impression both upon the damsel and Theodore. In a short time Doctor Thurston arrived, accompanied by the Baronet; and as Ariadne almost immediately inquired of the latter concerning the excellent and kind-hearted Mrs. Barnes, he at once volunteered to go and fetch her. Ariadne expressed her joy and gratitude at the proposal: and Sir Douglas accordingly sallied forth again, while the medical men adopted such measures as their skill suggested to guard against a relapse on the part of the resuscitated maiden. In about twenty minutes the Baronet returned with Mrs. Baines; and affeeting to a degree was the meeting between that worthy woman and Ariadne. Indeed, Mrs. Baines declared her im- tention of remaining at Leveson House to act as the damsel’s nurse until her complete restoratior to health; and thus the now happy giri foun’ herself the object of the kindest attentions and surrounded by friendly faces. But in the meantime the Marquis of Leveson and his own housekeeper were seriously alarmed lest Theodore Varian should learn suficient from his sister’s lips to induce him to make an exposure of their infamous treatment towards her. Sir Douglas Huntingdon, however, presently sought an opportunity of speaking to the Marquis upon the subject. * Ariadne is now past all danger of a relapse,” he said. “The physicians have left her for the present; and she remains in the care of my housekeeper, Mrs. Baines. Of course the chamber which she occupies in your house must be her home until her health will permit her removal elsewhere. Her brother is now about to accom- pany me to my hotel, that we may have some cou- versation together. He already suspects that his sister las experienced ill-treatment of some kind; and therefore it is my intention to tell him all the ing in low and broken accents, * Do not go, dearest! truth at once. But L trust that by my earnest re- —_ ee ee — — — | CloOOOkKS COL (C©)