Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

196 REYNOLDS’ WORKS wretched man was about to give up the ghost, sprang from his seat, and was rushing toward the be!l to summon assist- ance, when Everton cried out, in a half-shrieking, half- imploring voice, “‘ No, no! let no one come. I will do what- ever you command, I am in your power, I am at your mercy! ”’ The Marquis of Kagledean resumed his seat and the invalid, experiencing a sense of faintness, pointed toward a bottle upon the table, murmuring, “ I beseech you — give me some of that cordial.” | This request was immediately complied with, and the invigorating, or we should rather say stimulating, effect of the liquor was quickly apparent on the part of the invalid. A slight flush, but of a hectic appearance, sprang up on his cheeks, as if painting the ghastliness of death, and his eyes shone with an unnatural lustre. ‘““T see that you know all,” he said, in a low and gloomy voice, and yet he trembled with excitement. ‘* What do you require of me? I have been betrayed, some villain has revealed the secrets of the past — ” “No matter how they came to my knowledge,” inter- rupted the marquis; “it is for you to make speedy repara- tion and atonement. A written acknowledgment, signed by your own hand, to the effect that Adolphus is your nephew, the legitimate possessor of the title and estates of Everton, that the tale of his death was false — ” “ But if I do all this,’ said the miserable man, “ it will consign me to a dungeon, it will subject me to terrible penalties — ”’ | “ Which you richly deserve, but which shall be spared you. No, horrible and unnatural, perfidious and execrable, though your conduct has been, no vindictive feeling shall pursue you. You will sign the needful paper to put Adolphus in possession of his rights; but before any use shall be made of that document, you may fly to the Continent, there to linger out the rest of your existence. Some forms and cere- monies will have to be observed in the House of Lords to substantiate the claims of Adolphus, and it will therefore be impossible for the history of your guilt to be altogether saved from publicity. But its consequences you may escape by self-expatriation, and I know the members of the British aristocracy well enough,’’? added the Marquis of Kagledean, with a scornful sneer, ‘‘ to be assured that the ) Gomicbooks:- co