The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 361: what you’re looking at

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344 THE COURT OF LONDON Oh, this indeed was a night of horrors at Maravelli’s house! The suicide of the two ladies seemed the crowning _act of the tremendous drama thus represented there. Jocelyn and the doctor were the two persons who had rushed forth from the dining-room on hearing Gertrude’s yelling ery, and we need scarcely say that they were overwhelmed with unutterable dismay on beholding the tragedy which had taken place. lLoitus was the first to recover his presence of mind, and in a few quick but impressive words he con- jured the doctor to summon likewise all his fortitude to his aid, inasmuch as it was absolutely necessary to conceal from the three sisters this new incident which had occurred, lest the accumulation of so much horror upon horror, beneath the same roof and within the same hour, should prove more than their minds could possibly bear up against. Mavolta was accordingly summoned forth from the dining-room to take charge of Gertrude, now a laughing, senseless maniac, and the-unhappy creature was induced to follow the old housekeeper up the stairs. The door of the little parlour was closed on the corpses of the two suicide ladies; and all this having been done in the course of a few minutes, the doctor and Loftus returned into the dining- room, where the three sisters were now huddling together upon a sofa and endeavouring to imbibe confidence from each other’s presence, as well as collect their ideas so as to look their actual positionin the face. For Agatha had by this time grown calm, yielding to the consolations, the entreat- ies, and the prayers of her two sisters, who had been recov- ered from the fainting condition into which they had fallen. “ Young lacies,’ said Loftus, on returning into the room with the doctor, ‘‘ you need remain here no longer than you choose.’ | | ‘But what are we to expect, Mr. Loftus? What are we to anticipate? ’’ inquired Agatha, who was still nervous and trembling all over. — | ‘“ You must prepare to quit Geneva to-morrow,” answered Jocelyn. ‘‘Understand me well, to-morrow must yourselves ”’ — and he glanced rapidly at the three sisters one after the other — ‘‘ take your departure from this city in company with Mrs. Ranger. Now you understand me, and I have no ‘more to say. Unless, indeed,’’ he added, after an instant’s pause, ‘‘ you feel that in consequence:of the terrible scenes Gomichbooks. co