The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 282: what you’re looking at

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

SR sg Ses NEG Uc Toss sig | rc a ene a NI EE OO OO OS lee 276 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. celles, he was in reality an interloper in the family. “Now I suppose, Adolphus,” said the Earl, aceosting him, ‘you will consent to marry your cousin Isabel—and I will ring the bell at once to let her know she is to send for the milliner and order the wedding-dress.” “No, no—for heaven’s sake act not thus pre- cipitately !” exclaimed Adolphus. “ At least give me four-and-twenty hours to reflect!” “ Four-and-twenty hours to reflect !” ejaculated the old nobleman. “‘ Why, I never reflected for four-and-twenty hours running in all my life !” “It is impossible to come to an immediate decision !” rejoined Adolphus impatiently. “My feelings are so disturbed—my mind is so cruelly agitated I beseech you, press me not now— but at this hour to-morrow 4 “Well, well—I see that I must humour you,” said the old nobleman: “ and it is natural enough you should be annoyed and excited to learn that you are not your father’s son! But mind! to- morrow we shall set to work in good earnest to hurry on this bridal.” _ Adolphus made no response—but hastened from the room. He retired to his own chamber, and there gave way to his reflections. An hour did he thus remain in the companionship of those thoughts; and at the expiration of that interval, his mind appeared to be made up to some particu- lar course. Descending to the drawing-room, he found the Countess and Isabella seated together ; and the former was at once struck by the strange- ness of his looks. He inquired where the Earl was—and learnt that he had gone out in the car- riage for an hour or two. Adolphus then made a sign for the Countess to escape from Isabella’s society, or get rid of her for a little while, on some pretext ; and Ethel was therefore still further con- vineced that there was something exceedingly ~rong. It was by no means difficult for Lady celles to quit the apartment without exciting “sion on the part of the unsophisticated Isa- 1 Adolphus speedily followed her. re now alone together in another sitting- Ethel immediately said, “ For heaven’s aus, relieve me from suspense! What ned ?—has the Earl discovered every- my deep, deep guilt known to him ?” o, Ethel,” was the young man’s response: you are not ~ ~ >ply guilty as you have erto helieved_ strange and terrible a of a ” evelat, © 2 4 me In a word, I tare aS r, “4 <B to describe the astonish- a 5% hel on receiving this an- 2 a S S t thought that struck her nent subsided, was that d become unsettled. When ally detailed to her all that self and the Earl of Las- t it was indeed the truth “-v, and that he spoke e then recollected that n exceeding uxorious to her face between itess—especially too uence of wine—had t of some strange de- wife of his had prac- tised towards him: but from motives of delicacy Ethel had never pressed any inquiry on the point —and the Earl himself had never gone beyond the vague hints just alluded to. Now, however everything was explained ; and in those very hints themselves the Countess beheld a confirmation of the startling and wondrous tale which Adolphus had just related. She sate gazing upon him with illimitable love and compassion in her looks: the better feelings which had prompted her to write him the note so strenuously urging separation, were all absorbed in the profound pity she experi- enced for him;—and the excitement of so much sympathy could not do otherwise than resuscitate all the ardour of her passion. Perhaps, too, the knowledge that this passion had suddenly ceased to wear the doubly dark aspect it had previously borne to her contemplation, was another strong reason wherefvre ber deep and devoted love should thus revive, Yes—she sate gazing upon him with looks of fondness and sympathy: but she spoke not —she knew not what words to say. “ Ethel,” at length said Adolphus, breaking this long silence, “atter everything that has taken place between us, I could not settle my mind to any specific course without first consulting you.” *¥ know not how to advise you, Adolphus,” answered the Countess. “I am as much bewil- dered as, heaven knows, you yourself must be !” «To-morrow at mid-day,” said the young man, with a species of desperation in his looks, * I must notify my decision to the Harl.” “ And that decision,” said Ethel in a low soft voice, but with the glitter of anxiety in her eyes, —“ what will it be P” “1 see that you yourself feel,’ responded Adol- phus, “that I have but one course to adopt—that there is no alternative but to yield to the Karl’s wishes.” A low shriek—or rather half-stifled scream burst | from the lips of Ethel at these words evidently so altogether unexpected by her; and Adolphus, with a sudden start, contemplated her in mingled sur- prise and terror. “ No—never, never, Adolphus!” she exclaimed, springing up from her chair, her cheeks flushing and her eyes flashing with an almost frenzied ex- citement. “What! you marry Isabella? No, no !—TI could not live to behold you another’s! But perhaps you have never loved me?”—and as the thought smote her with a sudden anguish, she sank dowm again upon the chair weeping bitterly. “‘Kthel, dearest Ethel!’ exclaimed the young man, throwing himself at her feet, seizing both her hands, and pressing them in fervour to his lips; “ you know that I love you———dearly—de- votedly—madly love you! Wherefore, then, this cruel suspicion? Ab, think you that if I loved you not as much as my lips proclaim, I should bave been enabled to stifle all good feelings in my heart at the time when I believed it was my own father's wife i “Enough, enough!” cried: Ethel hysterically : and then with a sudden solemnity of look and manner, she added in a low tone, “ At all events we are rescued from that deep sense of stupendous guilt !” “Tell me what you would have me do, dearest Ethel,” said Adolphus; “and your slightest word Oo fA JOOKSAGO