The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

250 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. she conversed with the old steward in the most | that it came from North America, and is of pecu- atlable manner. “JT have been made acquainted,” she said, still lingering in the gallery, “ with that terrible tragedy which is so fearfully connected with the name of Oaklands. Were you here when it occurred ?” Purvis responded in the affirmative; and Indora proceeded to question the old man on various points connected with that deplorable history. Purvis—who was delighted with the frank amiabi- lity of the Princess, and also astonished at the fluency with which she spoke in his native tongue, as well as at the superior intelligence which many of her observations indicated—cheerfully satisfied her curiosity; and the tale of the Duchess Bliza and Bertram Vivian was told all over again. Indora listened with a deep and awe-felt interest; and in the course of some remarks which Purvis made at the conclusion, he said, “The very dagger, my | lady, with which the dreadful deed was accom-.| plished, exists still beneath this roof!” “Ts it nob strange,’ said Indora, with a visible, shudder, “that the present Duke of Marchmont should have preserved a weapon which every time | he beholds it, must so frightfully remind him of} the foul deed of assassination whereby he lost his uncle ?”’ “To tell your ladyship the truth,’ answered Purvis, “his Grace knows not that the weapon, is} still retained within these walls. kept it: and if you were to ask me, wheyefore, I | could not say. Heaven knows that it is through} no morbid feeling of curiosity: for seldom, indeed do I ventuze to cast a look upon that texrible. weapon. But after the coroner’s inquest, f found it lying im the room where that inquiry, tool place: no, orders, were: issued as to, its, disposal; and I thrust it away, maa lumber-closet, There it remained forgotten foy a year or two—until the closet itself was. to be pulled, down in: the course; of} certain alterations which were made within these walls. Then the dagger again fell into my hand: it was, covered with xust—and a cold feeling of horror shot through, me, at the thought that it was my deceased master’s; blood which was. encrusted. there. Your ladyship may think if a strange fancy on my part—but I took that weapon, and with my own hand scoured the blade so that the blood-rust should disappear ; and this being done, I thought of burying it in the ground, in order to put it for ever out of human sight. But another strange whim seized upon me; and I thought I would preserve it as a relic of the past,—just as in “ormer times the armour of those who perished in ~ was preserved by the families to which they ‘, To be brief, the fatal weapon has been wved; and there are times when I think ‘aining possession of it I have been 3e higher impulse which I cannot 1.73 qost singular!’ said Indora, if was not, as you have norbid curiosity :’—then ‘ise, during which she " ©The horrible has 1 as well as the "2 human heart £ them, Yes already told tragedy; It is L who have | liar workmanship.” “Tt was brought from North America, together with other curiosities,’ responded Purvis, “ by Bertram Vivian. If your ladyship will come this way, I will show it to you.” The old steward conducted the Princess Indora to a superbly-furnished saloon, where marble pil- lars and splendid draperies gave a grandeur to the scene,—and where, too, there were some beautiful specimens of sculpture. At the extremity of this saloon there was a small cabinet, containing a vaniety of curiosities—amongst which were those that Bertram Vivian had brought over with him from the United States. The old steward touched & Secret spring in a rosewood cupboard of curious workmanship: a door flew open, revealing a single drawer; and thence he took forth the fatal dagger of which so much had just been said. With a visi- ble tremor shooting through her entire form, the Princess. Endora took it in her hand, and examined if, attentively for upwards of a minute,—at the | expiration of which she returned it to Purvis, who ‘consigned it back again to the place whence he had taken it, Shutting the drawer, he closed the httle dooy of the closet ; and Indora said, “ In the country (to which, I belong, we have articles of furniture with, seexet springs: but E do, not understand the working of this: one.” The old, steward at once gave her the explana- tion she seemed to desixe; “ond they then issued forth from, the cabinet. It was now announced to her that dianer was, served up; and she was con- ducted to, the dining-room, where an elegant re- past appeaved upom the table, The liveried lac- ‘queys; were in attendance just as if it were the Duchess. herself who was, thus. being waited upon ; and indeed all) possible respect was shown towards the Puincess,, The repast being over—and there being still two moxe houns; of daylight—Indora iened her wanderings through the mansion, but on this occa- sion, dispensing with the attendance of Purvis. She revisited the picture-gallery ; and thence pro- ceeded to the chamber where, as she had been told, the Duchess Eliza took leave of her weeping ser- vants when. about to go forth alone from that man- sion where so much misery had overtaken her, In this chamber the Princess sate down and gave way to a train of mournfullest reflections,—tears | even trickling down her cheeks. Then she re- paired to the room which was occupied by Bertram Vivian when he was staying at Oaklands; and there again did the Princess linger in. profound and painful meditation. Wherefore was she thus deeply interested in every circumstance and every scene at all associated with that tragedy of nearly nineteen years back ? From that apartment the Princess Indora roamed to the magnificent saloon where the marble columns and the rich draperies imparted an air of truly ducal grandeur, and where there were such ex- quisite specimens of the sculptor’s art to be con- templated. But all these Indora appeared not now to notice: she seemed bent upon some purpose which absorbed every other thought and feeling. A strange light was burning in the luminous depths of her magnificent dark eyes: her lips were compressed with the decisiveness of that profound purpose of her soul; and her feet bore her straight Scomicbooksico