The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

THR MYSTERIES a! you do not love your husband, then f* said the Prises «“ ¥ hate—I detest—I abhor him” Tramediaaly eddea {noone | emphatically... “Besides,” she immediate] in a subdued and murmuring tone, “I love you | naed and you only |” | “Thanks for that assurance, my angel,” anid Prince, pressing her warmly towards him: and, for the time being, even the incomparable. Venetia Tre- lawney was forgotten by the royal voluptuary. “ Bat | . what were you going to obeerve?—that after your marriage———" “J was cut, out, as it were, from that society in which alone I was likely to meet your Royal High- ness——" “Do not. Royal Mighness me,” murmured the Prince. “Let me be George or anything else you like to you.” “Dear, dear George,” said Ernestina, pressing her Lipa to his own. “ But I will not wesry you with along story. You are aware that Dysart killed Sefton in a due “And he was vondemned to death yesterday,” exclaimed the Prince. “ But what was that paper which I signed——" ‘* Here it is—read it, George,” interrupted the lady, producing the document from beneath the aaa OF THE COURT and beguiling the wretched man to the very. inst. By 00 Going, de will retain eur sesret-he will not be goaded by Dea ener © yrocksinn 16 to the pelther yout reputation nor my own nett Bat what purpgses baye you in view, Ernestina? the -end bow do you propose to carry aut your éims?” Prince, now beginning asked the a comprehen the wily lady's meaning. ; “ Listen attentively,” she said, throwing ber arms about bis neck apd drawing hia towards her in auch a manner. thet his ear ceme elose to her lips« ns Yeuit om be manage in “ can that way—-and it must be, done, 80,” seid tho Prineg in 4 musing en ae Dennen enens. “ But have you tact—the eourage to carry out the lan to the very last moment ?” y all the wrongs I have sustained af his honda” retarned the lady, in a low volee that was fall af opneentrated | as remorseless in my veugeance as I am capable of being fervidy onthatiasti and devoted in love.” “I helieve you, dearest Ermmestina—I beliéve you,” gaid the Priace, gow agnia. melting beneath the influence of her biandishments. “And re- member, » 1 trast entirely to you—I confide in you cushion of a eofa, and displaying it to the view | altoge of his Roya! Highness. The Prince, suffering his curiosity to distract him for a few moments from his dream of volyptu- “My love towards you is the proof of my sin- cerity,” murmured the lady, the ardour af her caresses and exciting the Prince to tender ous bliss, took the paper and read it, But when | dalliance. he found that it was in fact an acknowledgment on his part of a criminal correspondence with Lady Ernestina Dysart, and a solemn undertaking to grant a free pardon to her husband, whatever sen- tence a criminal tribunal might pass upon him,—a feeling of indignation sprang up in his soul—and turning his eyes repr y upon his fair com- panion, he said, “And you were a party te this precious document ?” “Hear me, Prince-hear me, dearest George— and do not prejudge me!” she exclaimed, re- doubling the food ardour of her caresses, and in- | mediately bringing all the wanton witcheries of seductive artifice to play their artillery upon him again. “But let us first destroy this paper, my love,” said the Prince: “that is, if you really have any regard and affeetion for me.” . * Destroy it if you will,” observed Ernestina, her manner suddenly chavgiag into coldness “but in that case I shall be ruined, and you will be ex- “What mean you? Speak!” cried the Prince. “If the paper be destroyed, Dysart will proclaim to the world ai] that occurred at Beechey Manor,” responded the lady. “Thus my reputation will be wrecked—and your's will sustain no advantage.” “ But do you wish me to comply with the guaran- tee contained m this document?” demanded the be- wildered Princes “do you wish me to exercise my prerogative as Regent and grant a free pardon to your husband? I thought you said just now that you hated, loathed, and abhorred him-—~" “ And J repeat those expressions now,” exclaimed Ernestina. “Yes—I hate, loath, and abhor him: and it is precisely because I wish to leave him to bis doom, that I enjoin you not to thas . © Well, let me write what you require upon the margin of that doqument,” he gaids “and then, ss Tore 20) now observed, we can talk of love—and only ove.” 6 Thus speaking, the :Prince rose and placed himself at a table on which there were writing- * Now dictate to me, ang charming precep tress, what I am to seis oe be observed, taking up a pen and preparing te write, “Let the annotation run thus,” said Ernestios, bending over him, with ope arm thrown about his neck :-—‘ J have re-perused this paper and reiterate the promios mode therein.’ Now affix the date and your signature. That will do.” “Well, it is done—and I am glad of it,” ob- served the Prinep. “ You do not know how I hate trouble of any kind, I wag formed and fashioned to spend my existence pleasurably, aad not in the routine of business and serious affairs, Come, pat away that document, Ernestina—and tell me once more that you are really and truly very fond of me.” The lady locked up the paper in the drawer of a cheffonier standing in ane of the window recesses, and then took her seat upon a sofa, the Prince placing himself by her side. . At the same lnstant his looks fell upon the door comm with the mysterious suite of apartments; and, as a train of recollections associated therewith gushed through his memory, he said, “Ernestina my darling, have you ever been in those rooms 7” “Never.” she replied. “They are wy uncle's private apartmentse—anad he does not allow apy one save his valet Stephea Brockman and the howse- keeper to enter them." “And have you never been inspired with ou- paper, but on the contrary help me in deluding | riosity sufficient to induce you to explore those GORMGOOO CO —