The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

THE SELF-SACRIFICE DEMANDED 231 was much yet to be done, and even when all this should have been accomplished, might Ethel ever hope for the enjoyment of happiness again? Every now and then she stopped short in her agitated walk, and listened. Surely she had heard the bell? Surely it was tingling in her ear? Surely its vibrating sounds reached her from the distance where it hung? No, it was mere fancy on her part; all was in reality still. It was only that half-singing, half-droning sound which the ear perceives when the blood mounts up into the excited brain. But hark! now indeed the bell rings! The sound is unmistakable; it peals with a violence that reverberates through the mansion. It is the signal of the lawyer’s success, and Make- peace is unmasked! Ethel’s first impulse was to rush from the room and repair to the chamber where the scene announced by that signal was taking place. She felt an almost irresistible anxiety to assure herself that the detection of Makepeace was indeed complete, and that to no other or unforeseen circum- stance was to be attributed the ringing of that bell. But all in a moment a fearful apprehension seized upon her, — the apprehension lest Makepeace should proclaim her past amour with Adolphus. Her guilty conscience in this respect gave to her alarm the strength and potency of an absolute certainty that what she dreaded could not fail to occur, and thus she no sooner found herself relieved from one source of deepest anxiety than she had to encounter another. She remained in her room, a prey to the most fearful suspense. All of a sudden one of her maids rushed in half-dressed, exclaiming, ‘‘ Oh, my lady, my lady, the assassin is discov- ered! — it is Makepeace! ”’ ‘“T had foreseen it, I knew that it would be so,”’ responded Ethel, much excited. ‘‘It was for this reason that Mr. Slater came to the house.” ‘“‘ Ah!” ejaculated the maid; and then she at once com- prehended how it was that her mistress had not as yet retired to rest. ““T will go to the drawing-room,” said the countess. “I must hear all particulars; I am full of suspense and anx- lety — ”’ ‘Suspense and anxiety, my lady?” cried the maid, somewhat in astonishment. ‘‘ Why, the murderer is dis- EOMINGIOOKS (CO)