The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES ' “Silence, sir!’ exclaimed Loftus, with a min- gled dignity and sternness, as the excitement of his evul animated him with the strength to raise himself up once more to a sitting posture in the couch: “you are calumuiating all the finest feelings that belong to our nature. Because I have vowed to frustrate the schemes which are in progress to acoomplish the ruin of a persecated and injured Princess—for that this is the cause of my imprisopment I can of course full wel] con- coive———" “« Let us not baady words,” interrupted the Pre. fect. “The means of liberty are within your geach; and at all events there will be nu harm in your perusing the bond,” he added, drawing a parchment from his pockets. Loftus took the deed—opened it—and endea- vyoured to read its contents. But only a few hours had elapsed since he had awakened to con- sciousness from the protracted delirium of fever; and a mist was still upon his eyes—so that he eould not concentrate the powers of vision upon minute points. Dropping the document from his hand and sinking back upon the pillow, he said in a bitter tone, “I cannot read it: and even if I eould, I am persuaded it would be tselese.” * Nevertheless, permit me,” exclaimed the Pre- feot, “to describe the leading points in the bond:” -~then perceiviug that Jocelyn offered n0 objev- tion, he continued to say, “ The first stipulation is to the effect that you solemnly and sacredly pledge yourself to bury in oblivion all the information you may ever have received relative to the mission of the Misses Owen and their appointment to situations about the person of her Royal Highness the Prin- cess of Wales. Secondly, you renounce all idea of forming so unequal a match as that which you have contempiated inerespect to Miss Louisa Stanley. Thirdly, you resume before the world your proper uaue, and make due submissiun to——” “Euough, enough!” cried Jocelyn Loftus, the flush of indignation appearing upon his counte- mance, a moment before so pale. “ Were your iv- famous Baustile atill in existence, I would sooner be consigned to eternal iminurement in one of its living tombe, thao assent to the terms contained fa that ducament, And now I can full well under- stand from what quarter emanate these persecu- tions. But, O Gud!” he exclaimed, an expres- sion of sudden agony passiug over his cuunte- nance as 3 thought struck him; “ grant that poor Louisa fal! not iuto the meshes and toils——” The remainder of the se nteucu waslustina auffo- cating sob whicb burst from Jucelyu’s lips; and for two or three minutes he was almost cumpletely un- manued by the violence of his 2uwotious. Weuk. ened aud enfeebled as he way by illness, it cannot be woudered if his mind «ere sympathetically at- tenuated. and that his feelings should fur a spuce triumph: over his habitual fortityde. “Nu—it is not a tile wh:ch you have to dread,” observed the Prefect after a pauses “ but if you still continue obstinate-—” “You mean,” interrupted Loftus, bitterly, “if I still continue to spurn propvsals alike distuuuur- 355 a OF TRE COURT. perhaps you will understand me when I state that if we have no Bastiles, yet we have mad- houses ;—and should you persevere ln your present e6——~” “Enough, enough!” ejaculated Loftus, all his wonted furtitude now returning to his aid. “You may consign me to a lunatic asylum on pretences as base as those which have made me a prisoner at the Prefecture: but all the diabolical tyranny of the mad-doctor, and all the coercion of the strait-waistcoat, the barred chamber, the iron chains, and the ferocious keeper, will nut prove foure effective with we than the persuasion of his Excellency the Prefect of Police !* And as Jocelyn Loftus gave utterance to these words, he surveyed the French fanctionary with « calm but noble dignity which was more impres- sive than an angry defiance would have been. “Then you refase your signature to this bond?” said the Prefect, moving towards the door. “I do,” was the firm reply. “And now, before you leave me, sir, let me remark that the day will come when you may perhaps repent of your con- duct towards one whu never injured you. Indeed, if there be a spark of generous feeling in your pature—if you have aught of that chivalry in your soul for which your nation is so justly famed— you must shrink from the unworthy position which you are occupyiog—uamely, that of the despots’ tool! No houvarable man wuuld consent to be the gaoler of an innocent person under such cir cumsiauces.” The Prefect of Police made no reply to this language of rebuke and remonstrance uttered with dignity rather than with passion: but waiting antil Jocelyn had ceased, his Excellency merely bowed: aud then quitted the room, to which the physician and the nurse soon afterwards returned, A week now passed away, thus making up the three weeks which at the commencement of this chapter we stated to have elapsed siuce the memo- rable night of Julia Owen's adventures. During thuse seven days which thus succeeded the inter view with the Prefect, Jocelyn Luftus became pretty well restured to health. But his mind re- inained a prey to cruel misgivings and incessant anxieties. ‘That the Marquis of Leveson had interfered in his affairs, he had not the slizhtest doubt. In the first place, i¢ was the Marquis,who had been in- strumental ‘in nominating the Owens to their present mission; in the second place, he was interested fur his own reputation’s sake in pre. venting any exposure of the cunspiracy thus in pro- gre-s against the Princess of Wales; and thirdly, it was perfectly intelligible to Jocelyn wherefure the Marqais suught to prevent his uuion with an obscure and portionless girl such as Louisa Stan- ley. Arguing, therefure, from all these circum- stunces that Lord Levesun had been busily en- | gaged against him, Jucelyn was fearfal that the Marquis might by some means or other have gained the confideuce of Louisa; and althuagh the young lover had too sublime a faith in the purity and chastity of the damsel’s soul to imayine fur an instant that she would lend an ear tw any over- tares which the veteran debauchee might choose to wake, yet knowiog full well how unprincipled ° aud unscrupulous was the character uf that nubice , mau, Jucelyn could nut help teariug for Luut-a as “ Well, we will uot dispute as to words,” resumed the Prefect, rising frum the seat which be had taken by the yuung geutleman’s bedside: “but | able and tyranuical to a degree——”* | eonrnnicloooks