The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 239 This danseuse and two others were in the midst of an clegant pas de trois, when all of a sudden there was acry of ‘Fire!’ from the back part of the stage. Only imagine the confusion and terror which immediately ensued amongst the whole company of singers and dancers assembled for the occasion, as well as amongst the other theatrical officials and the number of spectators whom the courtasy of the director had admitted! It was but too true that through the negligence of a carpenter or a seene-shifter the place was on fire. I rentember that some of the young females were so paralysed by consternation as to be utterly unable to help themeelves :—their brains appeared to be turned! All the gentlemen present ren- dered their services with promptitude and presence of mind: but it was to the daring conduct of the Baron De Margaux that the flanies were extin- guished and tle whole theatre was saved from confagration. The event had however an unfor. tunate sequence; for the diamonds of the cele- brated ddséeuse to whom I have been alluding, were nowhere to be found when order was again restored. The danseuse was a prey to the most distracting gtief; and she levelled the bitterest reproaches against her tire-wotnen. There was however much excuse for those poor creatures; for it was in the immediate vicinage of the dressing- rooms that the fire had caught; and therefore the instant the alarm was given, they had rushed forth in wildest terror, thinking only of saving their lives and utterly regardless df the casket of jewels.” “ And were they never discovered ?” asked the notary’s wife. ‘I am convinced they were not!” murmured Zoe, thus involuntarily giving an audible expression to the idéd which was padsing in her mind. The words were not however precisely caught by any one present; and the Viscountess Delorme inquired, * What were you saying, my dear friend °”’ . | “ Nothing,” responded Lady Octavian Meredith. “JT meoaht vothing particalar:”—but she had an abstracted air as slie thus spoke. ‘ F eannot precisely say,” continued the Viscount Delorme, “that the real author of the robbery wad not discovered; though I may positively affirm that the jewels themselves were not. One of the scene-shifters was proved to Hate rushed out of the theatre in & very eispicious manser the mo- ment the ery of fire was raised: he was arrested— and though I have forgotten the particulars, yet I know thkt the circamstantidl evidénod was deemed sufficiently strohg agaist bim to induce the erirhinal tribunal to deciare him guilty; and he was sentenced to some very sbvere punish. ment.” “And the poor danscese lost her diamonds ?”’ said the notary, in a tone of sympathy. ‘Yes: and they were of excveding value,” re- joined the Viscount Delorme. “ But, speaking of the Baron De Margauk, it is my duty as well us my pleasure to observe that whenever we have met he has invariably demonstrated the utmost friendship towards me. A few days ago I acci- dentally encountered him in the neighbuurbood of the old Chateau: he was passing through the vil- lage at the time—and he halted there for refresh- ments while the two horses were being changed. Glad to meet so excellent a friend, who had saved my life at Madrid, I asked him to be present at that happy ceremony of this morning which gave me the hand of my beloved Clarine.” “And every friend of your’s, dearest Alfred,” whispered the young lady, “shall ever be esteemed as a friend by me. The moment you first informed me how deeply you were indebted to the Baron Doe Margaux, I was rejoiced to learn that he was to be present at the ceremony of this day.” Leaving the conversation to progress in this manner at the hotel, we must follow Lord Octa- vien Meredith, who had issued from the room almost immediately after the Baron De Margaux quitted it. Haetily descending the stairs, the young nobleman found one of the Viscount De. lorme’s footmen lounging at the front door; and he inquired which direction the Baron had taken. The footman replied that the Baron hed sped through the village in the direction of the post- House. Thither Octavian therefore proceeded ; and on coming within sight of the post-house, he observed the Baron talking to the postmaster him- self. Standing aside in the shade of some trees, so asto avoid being scen, Octavian kept his oyes upon the Baron, and ptesently observed him saunter away from the spot where he had just been standing. Instead of returning into the vils lage, ho passed out of it; and when at a distance of about two huhdred yards from the posting: house, he stopped and looked around. Meredith etill managed to keep out of sight, though retaining the Baron constantly in view. The Baron went on a little farther—probably to the distance of about another hundred yards; and then he whistled. The road on both sides was bordered by trees ; for the village was bn the oute skirt of the forest. Meredith concealed himself amongst the trees on one side of the road ; and in a few minutes he beheld an individual issue from amongst the trees on the other side and join the Baron. Peeping caatiously along, Octavian got near enough to listen to their conversation—a proceeding which tho thick fringe of hedge border- ing the road in that particular spot, allowed him thus to accomplish. It is not now necessary to explain why he thus listened, or what he over- heard, as these details will presently transpire in their proper place. Suffice it for the present to say that tho conversation was not very long, and that so soon as it was over the Baron speeding away, re-entered the village. The man with whom he had been discoursing, walked on a little distance in a contrary direction, and therefore away from the village: but all of a sudden, at the point where the hedye ceased, he plunged in amonget the treds on the same side a that where Meredith had remhined concealed. Of all these movements Octavian was aware; and gliding amotget the trees, he in a few minutes confronted the individual to whom we are alluding. He was a short, stont man, attired in & peasant garb: there was nothing sinister in hie appear- ance:—on the contrary, he might be tuken for a quiet and inoffensive rastic. He started on thus suddenly meeting with some one in that maze of bhade: but almost at the same instant Octavian sprang at him and hurled him to the ground. The fellow struggled desperately, and even succeeded in getting a clasp-knife from his pocket. But COMME HOG cS) (CO