The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

UNCONSCIOUS REVELATIONS 320 murmuringly said. ‘“‘ But it was that fiend, the French- woman, who prompted me. Oh, why did I listen to her? For all the plotting was against my dear good mistress, my mistress — the plotting — Indora — my mistress!”’ Now Sagoonah opened her large dark eyes; she almost immediately closed them again, and for a few instants it appeared as if she were dead, so breathlessly silent did she lie. The queen was alarmed, and placed her hand upon Sagoonah’s bosom, but the heart was beating within. Again did the ayah slowly open her eyes, and look up vacantly at the countenance that was bending over her. Thus for upwards of a minute did she gaze at her royal mistress, and when she closed her eyes again, it was without any sudden glitter to show that she had recognized the countenance which thus bent over her. But once more did her tongue give utterance to feebly articulated and broken sentences, and once more did the queen listen with breathless attention. ‘Yes, it was that fiend the Frenchwoman, Madame An- gelique,”’ continued Sagoonah, “ who did it all. Ah, that night, when I penetrated into the queen’s chamber, the intent was horrible, — it was to take her life! Christina saved her. Yes, the English girl saved my mistress on that occasion, or she would have been dead, dead! ”’ There was another long interval of silence, during which Indora listened in a state of dismayed and horrified suspense for whatsoever might next come from Sagoonah’s lips. ‘“‘ Ah, that temptress, that vile, vile woman! ”’ again mur- mured Sagoonah. ‘‘ It was she who urged me on. Oh!” and here the ayah shuddered visibly, and with a violence that shook the very bed beneath her, ‘‘ how could I have touched that reptile? Its fangs might have entered my flesh, its venom might have circulated in my veins. Ah, my poor mistress, that day you took me to the gardens — the gar- dens — the — the — ”’ The rest of the sentence was lost in incoherent murmur- ings, but Sagoonah had said enough to send a light horribly flashing in unto the brain of the queen, clearing up in a mo- ment the mystery of that serpent’s presence within the walls of the villa some little while back. Indora was shocked — appalled; the revelation was as frightful as it was un- expected. Sagoonah, conscience-stricken even in her un- consciousness, was thus giving a species of subdued delirious CORnNICLOOOKS (CO)