The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Lady Anastatia Latham then proceeded direct to her busband’s study, with the determination, if needed, of making a certain confession: but it was with a sense of dismay that she adopted the re- solve. She entered the study—where she found her husband seated at the desk, and reading a letter with his wonted demeanour of imperturbablo calmness. : “My dear Anastatia,” ho said, rising from his seat and advancing towards her, “it has perhaps been a little oversight on my part that I have not occasionally given you the key of this eafe in order that you may replenish your purse without the ne- cossity of applying direct tome. Here isthe key : you can restore it to me presently. And now, my dear Anastatia, delay not in returning amongst your guests.” Having thus spoken, with an unusual appear- ance of kindness, Sir Frederick at once issned from the room. The whole proceeding was 80 com- pletely different from what Anastatia had expected, that she was rendered absolutely speechless, and could not even murmur a syllable of acknowledg- ment for her husband's generosity. When the door closed behind him, and she found herself alone, tears began trickling down her cheeks. She com- prehended it all. “Yes,” she said within herself, “he suspects that I am in debt—that I have been extravagant -—-that I have concealed my embarrassments from him ; and he adopts this nobly generous course for a twofold reason. He affords me the opportunity of acquitting myself of my supposed liabilities; and at the same time he conveys a reproof for the mingled extravagance and dissimulation of which he deems me guilty. Oh, it is painful to be thus wrongly judged !—but on the other hand, infinite is the relief which I experience at not being com- pelled to oonfese everything! I understand him well, He will speak no more upon the subject: he will not ask me who are my supposed creditors: he doubtless thinks within himself that, touched by his generosity and I shall abstain from extravagance for the fature. And I who have not been extravagant at ali!—I who have even been en- abled to assist my brother from the liberal sums which my husband has placed at my disposal!” To this effect were the thoughts which swept | rapidly through the mind of Lady Anastatie Tatham; and drying her tears, she hastened to open the safe. But she paused ere she took forth the cash-box: she made a strong effort to conjure up her moral courage; and she said to herself, “What if I were now to defy these extortioners ?” Bat the moral courage came not in sufficient force to nerve her to that extent. She dreaded an éxplosion- of Shadbolt’s brutal rage; he might create a scene which would be fraught with a terrific exposure at a moment when the mansion was crowded with guests. She felt her own weakness ; and with a profound sigh she drew forth the cash- box. Thero was a quantity of gold on one side —« layer of bank-notes on the other. She took forth sufficient for the liquidation of Madame An- gelique’s extortionate demand; and restoring the cash-box to its place, she locked the massive door of the safe,—thrusting the key into the bosom of her dress. Lady Anastatia then returned to Mr. Shadbolt : and with dignified demeanour, she said, “ Remem- 197 ber, I totally deny the claim which is made upon me: bat I do not wish to have any dispute for such asum. Here therefore is the amount. Of course you are provided with a receipt ?” “ Here it is, my lady,” answered Shadbolt, infi- nitely rejoiced at the success of his villanous scheme: and at the same time he drew forth the receipt from his pocket, Anastatia examined it; and perceiving that it was ab acquittance in full of all demands, signed with the ex-milliner’s own name, she was satisfied. Shadbolt took his departure with the money in his pocket; and Anastatia returned to the ball-room. It happened that at the moment of her entrance Sir Frederick was passing near that door; she flung upon him a look full of gratitude,—at the eame time laying her hand gently upon his arm, and saying, “ You have this night done something which I can never, never forget! Here is the key of the safe:"—and she raised her hand to hor bosom to take it thence. “Not another syllable upon the subject, Anas. tatia!” responded the merchant: “and as for the key, keep it until to-morrow. We shall be ob- served !” He at once walked away to another part of the room; while Anastatia—who was deeply affected, thougif she outwardly betrayed it not—repaired to a seat at a little distance. Neither the merchant nor herself had noticed that her brother, Viscount Rushbrook, had been close by at the instant this exchange of a few words took place; and we may add that his quick ear had caught these fow syllables which related to the key of the safe. CHAPTER CXXIIL THE SAFE AND THE CASH-BOX. ANASTATIA repaired, as we have said, to a seat At the farther extremity of the room; and her brother the Viscount, after reflecting for a few moments, lounged round the apartment in order to join her there. He was revolving in his mind how to break to his sister the particular subject of his difficulties, when Christian and Christina approached. Anas- tatia’s countenance immediately brightened up; and she spoke to the twins with as much cordiality as if they were long-standing friends instead of the mere acquaintances of this particular evening. Tho Viscount joined in the discourse as a pretext for keeping near his sister: but he wished in his heart that Christian and Christina would move away to another part of the room. It happened that while Anastatia was thus talking, she mechanically arranged the body of her dress—or rather, the lace which trimmed it; and the little key fell from hor bosom. It alighted om the flowing skirt of her apparel, and thus did not fall at once upon the floor, whence the carpet had been taken up for the’ sake of the dancors. lounging against a table behind his sister's chair, noticed that the key thus fell: the incident was however unperceived by Lady Anastatia as well as by the twins. For a few minutes Lord Rushbrook The Viscount, who was. suffered the key to remain where it was, in order — to ascertain whether bis sister would immediately LL LC LE Neen ee 4 GOnMGIOOKSHeOK