The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 371: what you’re looking at

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- | the letter, so transcended ali the previous satis- faction which he felt at the prospects of escape held out by the preceding portion, that he for a few minutes forgot everything save the one grand fact that his Louisa loved him as fondly as ever. The assurance thus conveyed seemed to inspire him with new life: hope lit up its flaming beacon before his eyes—and again did he whisper to him- self that the wheel of fortune was turning in his favour. But when the first gush of ecstatic feelings had thus found a vent, he was enabled to revert with befitting serivusness and deliberation to the mea- sures that were in progress for his escape. To solicit another interview with the Prefect was the only way to obtain the information which his friends outside requested him to procure—namely, the time fixed for his removal, and the place to which he was to be removed: but as it was now | pertec nine o’clock in the evening he considered it best to postpone the demand for that interview with the Prefect until the following morning. Dismissing the nurse therefore for the night, he remained aloue to meditate upon his prospects, his hopes, and his love. After breakfast next morning he was about to pen a note to the Prefvot, when the door opeued and that functionary eutered the room. The old nurse im- mediately withdrew; and the moment she had re- tired, the Prefect addressed himself to Jocelyn in the following manner :— “ By this morning's post I have received a letter from London. It is to the effect that from some- thing which has transpired within the last week or ten days, % is deemed expedient no longer to insist upon that clause ia the bofd whioh forbids your al- liance with Miss Louisa Stanley.” “ Ah!” efaculated Loftus, in astonishment : “ what could have trautpired to have produced this change of opinion upon that point? Your Excellency can surely .peak with more openness and less enigma than herefofore. Indeed, I know full well that the Marquis of Leveson is at the bottom ofall this———” * Well, theu,” observed the Prefeot, hastily, “it does appear from the letter I have received this wiorning, that his lordship Aas ‘learnt something which has induced him to alter his mind very ma- terially coneerning this matrimonial project of your’a But whether it be that Miss Louisa Stanley turns vut to be more highly connected than he had at first supposed—or whether she has suddenly proved the heiress to a furtune—lI ain of course utterly unable to conjecture. Satfice it for you to kaow, that this particular clause in the bond is withdrawng and [ will take it upon myself to erase the stipulation which requires your submission and obedience to the Marquis of Leveson. It now therefore oaly remains for you to sig: your assent to that clause which sa- credly and svlemnly pledges you to abstain from any interfercnee iu the affairs of the Princess of Wales—to bury in oblivion all that you may bave ever learnt upum that subjecé—and to pursue yuur future career as if no euch details hac ever come to your bnowledge.” *{ have listened to your Excellency with varied feelings of interest,” said Jocelyn, in a firm and de- libgrate tone. “That an assent should now be given to my aaiun with Miss Louisa Stanley, is so tar agreeable inasmuch as it can ouly be a tribute of au- Gireativa aud sepect accerded tu her beauty and hes -—- — oe w= ¢e -_ Quarweszta ms virtues: for that she has suddenly discovered any high connexions or become possessed of a fortune, I do not for a moment believe. The clause relative to my | subsnission to the Marquis of Leveson could indeed | be well dispensed with, for reasons which I need not | explain. But as for that clause which ts to remain | and which I am to be called upon to sign—were I to ; purchase my freedom on such terms, never should I | dare venture into the presence of Louisa Stanley again. When first I set out upon this enterprise, she encouraged me to puraue it; and with all the gene- , rosity of her nature did she appreciate the duty which circumstances thus imposed upon me. She | felt for the injured Princess—not because she ts a Princese—bat becanse she is a woman—a wronged and injured woman !—and she would regard me as a coward—sa base recreaut—were I now, in a mo neut ! of -weakness or folly, to abaudon the cause of that uted lady.” | The Prefect exerted all his eloquence to remon- ' strate, persuade, and cajole, in order to induce Jocelyn | to sign the bond, now cut down to a aingle clauce: | but not even to this one clause would the young man | append hie name. At length, tired of his unavailing . endeavours to alter the prisoner’s decision, the Pre- | fect said, “ Then if you are bent upon this obstinacy, | I have no alternative but to follow out the inatruc- tions which I have received.” “And those instructions?” said Loftus, inter- rogatively. “To treat you asa lunatic,” responded the Pre- | fect, “ and remove you to an asylum for tbe inaane. To-morrow night, therefore, at eleven o'clock, will you be transferred hence—unless iu the interval you yield to the dictates of reason and prudence.” Having thus spoken, his Excellency hastened from the room ; and soon afterwards the old nurse returned Jocelyn now penned thg following note: — “To ME FRIEKHDS OUTYDE,— Whoever ye are, acccpt my sincerest and most heartfelt thanks! Your note duly reached me; and as a further token that it is really I, the undersigned, who am thus corresponding with you, permit me to ask whether Mies Clara Stanley is stili residing vith Mr. and Mra. Beckford in Stratton Street, Piccadilly? The time of my removal! is fixed for to-morrow night at clevens and my destiny is a mad-house~ but where situated I know not. This point I could not ascertain; nor is there any chance of discovering it. I have not the slightest duubt that the old woman is fully trustworthy. “JOCELYN LOFTUS” Bat ecareely had our here penned the last words of his nute, when the thought suddenly struck lia, with the dismaying effect of a lighining-flash, that although the nurse brought the notes to him and carried bis own to thé friends outside, yet that it was quite poseble for her to submit the whole corre- spondence to the Prefect as it passed through ber hands, This idea had net struck hiin before; and his heart now sank within him. He glanced up from the paper on which he had just been writing, aud en- countered the looks of the woman as they were fixed upon him: but there was nething troubled is the mauner in which she inet his gase. On the com trary, she evidently perceived that some misgiving had suddenly entered his mind, aad in acalm ua- ruffied tone, she said, “I cannot convince you, sir, of my fidelity: but after all, what risk do you run by trusting me? Ut 1 really am fai:hful, well and good: bur if, on the other band, 1 aw ali the while bytraying you to the Vreltcct, wuat altesation van af ee EE a a me er cease wee 'e ome = oe tee -_ a» moe ~~ —_ see, = GOnMGOOOKS