The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

we a — ~ - es THE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. 127 meekness: and then with the low obeisance of a| she thus gave way to her sinister reflections ; and slave, she turned away from the spot. At firet sho proceeded slowly ; and if Mr. Red- eliffe ceuld onty have seen how ominous were the fires which flashed forth from her large dark eyes, . his confidence in the assargnecs she had just given him would have been shaken, if not altogether dispelied. In a few momente she quickened her pace, and glided back imto the grounds of the villa. Then Mr. Redchffe, who had lingered on the spot to fellow her with his regards, took his own departure. CHAPTER CX. THB BORROWED COSTUME. Tum dusk had now closed completely in; and Sa- goonah, on regaining the villa, at once ascended to her own ehamber. There she sate down to give way to her meditations. “Did I not almost foresee it’ she thought within hereelf: “was I not incessantly haunted by the idea that he would seorn my love ?—did I not continuously entertain the droad that it were impossible to thaw that frozen heart of his? it hes beem done—the attempt has been made—it has failed! It were madness to renew it! Bat now, what remains for me ? A hopeles love—or a signal vengeance | Hopeless love ? Ab, no! That were eherishing & serpent to gnaw continuously at my heart's core !—that were to surround this very heart of mine with red hot coels and fan them into an incessant blaze. I could not live thus! But vengeance? Ah! and it will not be vengeance on one only—but likewise on her to whom he has plighted his troth }” Sagoonah arose from her seat and paced three or four times to and fro in her chamber. Her better feelings were mamtaining a severe struggle ayainst the agitation of the darkest passions of her soul: for she had truly and fondly loved Clement Bedeliffe—and the blow whieh she meditated against him would, she thought, be crushing—overwhelm- ing : it would be death—and yet not death to be in- flicted by her own hand ! “ Yes, I wilt do it!” she suddenly ejaculated within herself: “ ¥ will do it! I must have ven- geance for this slighted love of mine--—-And besides, even apart trom vengeance, I must do that which will effectually prevent him from ever be- ceming the husband of the Queen. Ob, to serve him asa slave—E who love him so madly !—to behold him in the arms of another—aend that other whom I have so long hated as my rivali—No, no: I eould not endare it) Ob, I will have vengeance —and my purpose shall be strong to wrenk it ! There ehall now be no more feeblenees with me. Did I not arm myself with the courage requisite to plant a dagger in the bosom of Indora ? did I ' pot even snatch forth the venomous reptile from ite cage P did I not place it in her couch? And if cireametances were hostile to my aims—if those ventares of mine terminated im failure—was it through any lack of courage on my part P No, no! I was bold for all those terrific purposes of mischief ;—-and shall I prove myself weak now P” Sagoonah eteod in the middle of the chamber as Po a when her mind was completely made up, she asked herself a final question. It was whether she did verily and traly possess the strength of mind thas was requisite forthe carrying out of her purpose; and she answered herself in the affirmative. “ Now away toa magistrate,” she said, “ to give the information and strike the blow without far- ther delay! Ab, Christma Ashton, you little thought wherefore you found me so ready a pupil in studying under yoar tuition the accurate read- ing of the Engiish language ! You little suspected wherefore you discovered me bending with so much earnestness over that huge file of the Eoglish news- papers! And now I am about to turn my know- ledge to an account—aye, and I know how to set about it! I¢ is but to enter one of the public vebicles, and order the driver to take me to the dwelling of the nearest magistrate |” Sagzoonah was about to issue from the chamber, when she caught sight of herself in a mirror which she passed : and she stopped short. “‘ This dress,” she said to herself, “ betrays the poor Hindoo slave: and it may prevent me from obtaining admission to the presence of the mazis- trate. Ah! 1 have read how difficult of access are some of the high functionaries of this country —and how much depends upon the appearance and condition of those who seek an interview with them! Were it Qneen Indora herself, with her rich apparel, every lace-bedizened lacquey would bow-—every door would fly open—and amidst pro- foundest salutations would she be ushered into the pre-ence of whomeoever amongst England's digni- taries she thus sought out. But I—the humble slave—Oh, it will be different with me! And then too, even if I succeeded in obtaining such an in- terview, my tale would not be believed: I should be treated with scorn and ridicule. What am I to do p?? e And again the Hindeoo women sate down to de- liberate within herself: bat it was not for very long. “If Ido this,” sho went on reflecting, “ dare I return to the villa? Will it not be known that from me the information was obtained. Besides, if I steal forth now, it will be two or three hours before I could return: my absence would be re- marked—and when the blow should smite him almost at the very same time, Indora’s suspicions wonkd at once point to myself as the souree whence is ermanated. I must therefore bid an eternal fare- well to this house and my mistress. Aye-—~and why not? Kverythmg for vengeance! Nor need I go away empty-handed. And, Ah! I will ap- parel myself in a style that shalt insure my admic- sion into the presence of the magistrate whom I am about to seek.” Having thus sottied all her proceedings in her mind, Sagoonah assumed a calm expression of countenance, and descended on some pretext to the drawing-room. She there found Queen Indora and Christina seated together, and engaged in conversation. Almost immediately afterwards Chriatian Aehton called at the ville, to pass an hour with his sister and the Queen; and Sagoonah felt satisied that she had now ample leisure for the execution of her purpose. Indora hed worn during the earlier part of the day that same apparel —half-European in its ee nT ee ES GOnNGIOOKSHeOn