The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 233: what you’re looking at

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

323 THE MXETERIES OF THE COURT. that you may ovroclaim to the world whatsoever you will in respect to my hersh temper: but I repeat that you must beware how you expose me @s a victim and a dupe, lest I on my side proclaim that on the night of the grand entertginment at Tudor House, you, Lord Bushbrook 7 “Sir Frederick, for mercy’s sake, Sir Frederick !” —and the Viscount was reduced to the mogt ab- ject condition of an entreating wretch. “That on the night of the grand entertainment at Tudor House,” proceeded the merciless Latham, “you stole into my study ” “Sir Frederick!” moaned the Viscount. “And you plundered me of many hundreds of pounds ” “My God!”—and Bashbrook sank back anni- hilated upon his seat. “ What is this that I hear?” almost shrieked forth Anastatia, as she started up with wild looks. “Sir Frederick—Robert—speak—tell me——~” “It means, madam,” responded her husband— though he himself was somewhat bewildered whether his wife were playing a part, or whether she could after all have been innocent of any com- plicity with her brother in respect to the robbery, —‘“‘it means, madam, that on the night when I entrusted the key of my sefe to you, that you might teke thence a certain sum of money— whatsoever might answer your purpose at the . time i “And without hearing any more,” exclaimed Anastatis,—“ without understanding what your allusions meant—I declare here, in your presence, Sir Frederick—in the presence too of my brother —as solemnly as I would declare if standing in the presence of my God—that I took from your safe a sum less than six hundred pounds, and that I left twice or thrice ag much in the cssh-box— though I had not the curiosity to caloulate how much.” “But the key, Anastatia—the key?” said the merchant, half suspiciously and half in the uncer- tainty of bewilderment :'“ how wae it that the key found its way to the hand of another, and that other your brotber Lord Bushbrook ?” “Sir Frederick, for beaven’s sake, press not these queries,” murmured the Viscount, advancing towarde his brother-in Jaw, laying his hand upon his arm, and looking up iato his face with an ex- pression of the most anguished entreaty. “Good heavens, Rubert, what am I to think ?” ebrieked forth Anastatia: “what am I to under- _stand by all this? It is some horrible mystery! —Ab! the key you spoke to me of—the key, Sir Frederick? Ob! i remember that on the night of the party I dropped it—I lost it tor awbile—but I found it again—methought it was in the same spot where [ might have dropped it. Oh, Sir Frederick ! you remember that I offered it to you immediately after I ascended from your study to the ball-ruom? Would to heaven that you had taken it then! But tell me, Robert—what in heaven’s name does it all mean ?” “Ab! you may well ask that question,” oex- claimed Sir Frederick Latham, now getting ex- cited ; “fur everything must be cleared up! You lust that key, you say, Anastatia ?’—then turning towards the Viscount, the merchant looked hiw te aatly in the face, adding, “ And you found ub “Mercy!” moaned the wretched nvubleman, hanging down his head: but the next instaasg recovering something like his habitual insvjent confidence, he said, “ I thought I might make use of your friendship—it was merely as a loan—[ took it—I meant to have told you—but such a trifle slipped my memory 7 Sir Frederick Latham turned bis baek upon the Viscount: it was with the coldest scorn that he did so: he disdained a reply to such a wretched tissue of sophistical excuses: he would have con- sidered himself degraded by offering a oumment upon them. * Angetatia,” he said, but speaking distantly and severely, “it is evident I have done you wrong in this instance. Ciroumstances were how. ever against you. A felon brother makes bis own infamy to redound upon his sister. Would that I wero enabled to demand your pardon for the suspicion which in this respect had nsturally arisen in my mind, but which after all has tyrned out to be eo unjust towards yourself. It is true that you have not conspired to plunder me: but you well know, Anastatia, that there can be no donb} as to your guilt in another respect. Just now you admitted that you had been very culpable towards me. Therefore must we separate |" “Ts there no pardon—no forgiveness?” asked Anastatia in bitterest anguish of mind, at the same time joining her hands in the most fervid appeal. “| know that J deceived you ——” “Knough, Anastatia!” interrupted the mer- chant, with an implacable expression of coante- nance, though inwardly he was moved: “ the very subject itself forbids discussion! J do not eay to you, ‘ Go with that felon brother of your's !’— but I bid you depart hence in the course of this day. He is about to reliove my dwelling of the pesii- lentia] staosphere which hangs around his crigi- nal presence.” “Sir Frederick, you must be obeyed,” faltered Anastatia, the tears streaming down her cbecks and her bosom convulsed with soba: “ and perhaps I deserve it all for having concealed that secret from you. But still methinks the chastisement ig severe—it is a terrible one for an impra- dence——~”’ “An imprudenoe, Anastatia?” cried the mer- chant angrily. “Dare you thus lightly denomi- nate the profligacy you see that you compel me to speak out “Sir Frederick,” interrupted Lady Anastatia, suddenly dashing away her tears, and drawing herself up with an air of feminine dignity blended with indignation,— “this is language which even from you I cannot and will aot tolerate! JI repeat, my conduct was marked with imprudence perhaps—but only in one sense. It was because on the day when—a year back —-you desired we to desist from dealing with Madame Angelique, anid when you binted at the reasons, I did nut frankly confess to you at the time (hat in utter ignorance of the character of that establishment ” “Good heavens! what is this that I hear?” exclaimed Sir Frederick : and he literally staggered back as if eaitten a blow. “Speak, Anastatia ! — tell me! Tue person whom yuu met there—he whom before your marriage as well as subas- quently " 99 loo (G cS) (CO