The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

366 THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. figure, cloaked and veiled, enter the private carriage and drive away. In the hackney-coach he had fol- lowed the carriage to Lady Lechmere’s, and had seen the veiled figure enter her ladyship’s mansion. Then he was satisfied that it was his wife whom he bad been watching. It must next be remembered that on returning home on foot, he had encountered another veiled and cloaked figure, whom he had fan- cied to be Gertrude; and when he endeavoured to engage her in conversation and make love to her, ahe at first mately rejected his overtures and then - J and seizing her noble master’s hand, she said in a acreammed out. These were the incidents over which the Earl retrospected; and he was zow eonvinced that on that occasion there had been an exchange of apparel, and that it was really Gertrude whom he had seen pro- ceed in the carriage to Lady Lechmere’s, and his own Countess whom he had importuned with his overtures ia the street ! That sach had imdeed been the case he was now the mare convinced, on calling to mind certain other little incidents that had occurred on the same even- ing. And what werethey? First, he had thought to meet his wife in the hall when the carriage came hack; but she whom he then took to be his wife, had .flitted past him, rashed up-atairs, and disappeared from his view. Almost immediately after, be it recollected, he had seen her whom he took for Ger- trude hastening up the stairs, and overtaking her he had again addressed some words to her—but she had broken away and bounded up the stairs. This second equivoque, as it then happened, and as he xow read ft, appeared entirely confirmatory of the fact that the lady and the lady’e-maid had changed apparel on the memorable evening alluded to, and that he had in reality taken Gertrude for his wife and his wife for Gertrude! All these recollections and the construction which he now put upon the incidents themselves, were tho subject of not more than a few moments’ reflection, though we have taken several minutes to recapitulate the circumstances and make the explanation appa- rent to the reader. To the Earl it was speedily clear as daylight: he saw it all—understood it all; for the complete clue to thoee incidents of the past was now afforded by the startling exposure of the intrigues of the present ! ,; Gertrude, who was kneeling at his feet, had no dif- ficulty in understanding from the varied though rapid expression which swept over his countenance, what was passing in his mind: and now the keen sense of all the tremendous dangers which threatened her mistress, inspired the girl, who neither lacked heroism nor artfulness, with a resolution to save her if possible. “Ob! my lord,” she exclaimed, rising from her knees, but still maintaining her handa clasped ; “ for- give me—pardoo me—if I have dared to assume a dress belonging to her ladyship! I know that it was very Wrong—mioet arrogant and presumptuous on my part——~ “Ah! Miss Gertrude,” interrupted the Earl, with a bitter irony in his accents; “the artifice is inge- nious, but it will not succeed. ‘Tis true that you might have borrowed the Countess's dress: but how cams the Countese’s carriage to bring you home from Lady Lechmere’s f” Thus speaking, with a voice and look showing tbat he was not to be deceived, he pushed hastily by the discomfited girl, and acised upon Edith’s writiug- we °- eee, desk which stood upon a table. On the former oo- casion when he had searched that desk, be it remem- bered, one of his own keys fitted it; and he now therefore had no difficulty in opening the desk again. “ Her ladyship ie lost!" thought Gertrude within herself, as in cruel alarm she contemplated the Earl's proceeding: for the abigail was pretty well assured that the desk would farnish proofs of her ladyship’s amours. Resolved to save the Countess, however, at any risk, and indeed at any sacrifice if it were possible, Gertrude advanced up to the table, low deep tone, “I conjure your lordthip not to can- summate this outrage against your innocent wife, nor give way to any suspicions which my folly and indiscretion may have excited!” The Earl was too much tortured by the pangs of jealousy to experience any flaming up of a sensual passion, through the contact of that soft warm haud which was thus purposely placed in contact with his own: but loeking up, he met the earnest and imploring gaze which the pretty abigail'’s dark eyes fixed upon him. Then suddenly recollecting that on the former occasion of his suspicions being awakened against his wife, he had resolved to wia over Gertrude to his interest if pdéssible — and therefore seizing the present opportanity, —he suddenly took both her hands in his own, and as- suming a tender look, said, “ My dear girl, you are deep in the confidence of your mistress: tell me everything, and I swear that [ will always be your friend. I will never desert you—I will place you in a comfortable position, and will bestow upon you as much of my love as it is in my natare to expe- rience or be able to give.” Thus speaking, he drew Gertrude towards him and passed his arm arouod her waist. The young woman not only suffered herself to be thu; treated with a tenderness that might not probably stop there, but actually encouraged him to take farther advantage of the opportunity, the circumstances, and the hour: for she pressed closer to him, gaziog up into his countenance with looks that at first only simulated an amorous feeling, but speedily began to swim with the wanton lan- gour of really nascent desires. Indeed, when first she placed her hand in contact with that of the Earl, it was as a provocative to his passions—the execution of a sudden resolve to throw herself in as a means of diverting his attention from the pursuit on which it was fixed, and thus by her own sacrifice endeavour to save the Countess. At the same time, it mast be confessed that Gertrude’s sense of virtue was not very strong, inasmuch as she could so readily make up her mind to immolate her own honour in the hope of screening that of her mistress. ‘Well, what reply do you mean to give me ?* asked the nobleman, now pressing his lips to her's, “Will you transfer your devotion from the Countess to me? will you, in fact, give me your love and become worthy of mine? ‘Tell me, Ger- trude—what am I to expect from you ?—what will you do ?”’ “ My lord, my lord,” she murmured, now secking as it were to nestle in his bosom, “I have nothing to reveal that could in any way compromise her ladyship. But come—let as leave this boudoir— and if you wish, I will accompany you to your own roomn——" ELOOO®