The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 183: what you’re looking at

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172 THE MYSTERIES. tive in visiting this house to-day. My first and principal object wasto see Miss Aylmer: my second was to hold a very serious conversation with you.” “ With me/” ejaculated Mrs. Lindley, unable to subdue or conceal the strong spasm of terror which shook her entire frame; for her guilty soul was appalled with a thousand dreadful apprehensions sweeping through her imagination. “ Yes, madam—with you,” repeated Arthur, em- pustically, and at the same time fixing upon the woman, a look in which abhorrence, pity, and re- proach were visibly commingled. “‘ Hush | do not speak too loud—walls have ears —the people passing in the street may stop to listen,” said the midwife, in broken sentences hoarsely whispered—while terror was evidontly obtaining a firmer hold upon her. “T am not accustomed to use intemperate lan- guage, nor to speak with excitement,” observed Mr. Eaton. “Youu have nothing to fear from me, either ; profound—alas! too profound— as my ac- quaintance with your crimes now is. Iam not here asa minister of Justice, but as one who would urge you to repentasce. No—for the sake of that young but guilty creature whom I first tutored in the ways of error, I will spare you. You need not, therefore, dread even exposure at my hands; but I warn you, Mrs. Lindley, that this forbearance on my part depends solely upon the candour and truthfulness with which you shall respond to the questions that I am about to put to you.” “What do you mean, good sir?” inquired the Woman, her countenance becoming ghastly, and her whole form shivering and shuddering from head to foot. “ You spoke of crimes—or did my ears deceive mo?” “No—that was the word I used,” answered Mr. Eaton, solemnly. ‘“Orimes!” murmured the midwife, staring upon him with a dull vacancy, as if her senses was appalled. ‘- Rouse yourself to hear and understand me, wo- man,” proceeded Arthur, in the same serious, im- pressive and unexcited tone. “ When I was here upwards of a fortnight since, I discovered two documents in yonder book-case—and of those documents I took copies. The one was a receipt for a slow poison—the other was its antidote. The poi- son had for months been circulating in my veins— the antidote is rapidly restoring me to health and life ! ‘My God! you will send me to the scaffold!” moaned the wretched woman, falling on her knees at the feet of the Hon. Arthur Eaton. “No—I will pardon you, on the condition that I have named,” said the young gentleman, forcing her to rise, and compelling her to re-seat herself. “© Lord! what will become of me?’ she mur- mured, covering her haggard face with her long skinny hands, and rocking herself backward and forward in a state of mind more easily conceived than explained. “T tell you again that you have nothing to fear, beyond the stings of your own guilty conscience, if you answer my questions faithfully and truly,” said Eaton. “Oh! sir, how generous you are!” cried the wretched woman, endeavouring to compose her features and steady the thoughts that were whirl- ing in her brain. “Demand of me what you will I swear to reply frankly and honestly,” “In the first place you will give me an exple- nation of the way in which‘my valet, William Dudley, was suborned to administer slow poison to his master,” said the Hon. Mr. Eaton. * William Dudley is a distant relation of mine,” returned Mrs. Lindley, terror compelling her to speak the truth. “When Miss Aylmer first dis- covered that you did not intend to fulfil your promise and make her your wife, she resolved upon vengeance! This was while sho wasat her uncle's seat in Derbyshire, and while you were staying at Marchmont Castle, in the same county. Her first impulse was to poison you—and by means of heavy bribes she won over William Dudley to her inter- ests. But Dudley recommended her to consult me; and when she wascompelled toconfess her situation to the Earl and Countess of Desborough that noble- man inserted an advertisement in a newspaper to the effect that a place of the strictest retirement was sought fora young lady. In consequence of a letter which I received from William Dudley, I answered that advertisement; and thus was it contrived that Miss Aylmershould become an inmate of my estab- lishment. In the eyes of the Earl and Countess this arrangement had no appearance of having been | previously concerted; and in due time Miss Aylmer took up her abode beneath this roof.” ‘‘Continue your narrative,” said Mr. Eaton. ‘¢ Tt has all the aspect of truth—and it is well for you that your explanations are thus eandidly and frankly given.” ‘‘When once Miss Aylmer was here,” proceeded the midwife, encouraged by the young gentleman's obeervations, “you may readily conjecture how easy it was to concoct a scheme of vengeance on her behalf. Allured by the large sums which sho lavished upon me—for she appears to have an il- limitable command of gold—-I consented at an evil hourto aid her in the accomplishment of her vindic- tive designs. Then did I reveal to her the mys- tery of that subtie poison for which I possess a receipt; and, in compliance with a letter despatched to Marchmont Castle, William Dudley svlicited leave of absence to visit London for a few days.” “T remember it well,” observed Mr. Eaton. * Proceed.” “ He came hither—received his instructions, to- gether with the poison—and hastened back into Derbyshire,” continucd the old woman. “Imme- diately afterwards your mysterious malady com- menced.” “ Yes—this is true!” murmured Arthur, shud- dering from head to foot at the cold-blooded cruelty thus revealed. “You are therefore satisfied that I am not deceiving you now?” said Mrs. Lindley, in a tone of anxiety. ““T’o0 well satisfled—too well convinced that you are speaking the truth!” was the solemn answer. “And you will spare me—you will not make use of this confession against me——”’ “No—no: I have already pledged myself on that head. And, now woman,” continued the Hon. Mr. Eaton,” you will tell me whether this infernal poi- eon is at work elsewhere? Have you other victims——" “IT solemnly and sacredly assure you that there breathes not a human being who, at least to my knowledge, is now suffering from the effects of that poison,” responded Mrs. Lindley, emphatically. COMIC OOOKS.ECO 6 Q ge a TD ae a SS Ca nD AD SE ss her a Ss a