The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

HF BYATEHIIS OF THE COURT. 15 ~~ rr Sars ” “Hush, Jane — hush!” said Mr. Redeiiffe: “fer heavea’s sake hush! I see that you know me |” ‘ Yeo-—as if by an ihepiratien |” extlaimed the woman, her eyes brightening vividly with the very feeling which she had just expressed. “ But tell me—QOh ! tell me,” she instantaneously ejaculated, as another reminiscenee flashed foreibly to her mind,—“ you did not—no, yor did not——>” “ Heeb, Jane! I kaow what you mean,” in- terrupted Redoliffe. ‘“Nol—that heaven above which mniles upom us in its starlit beauty, can attest———~’? “«Knoagh, enosgh!’ mermured Jane: “I be- lieve you--Oh, I believe you !”—and sinking dewn at his feet, she embraced his knees, subbing with a variety of conflieting feelings, but amidst which a still wondering joy was the princrpal. “Rise, my poor woman,” said Mr. Redoliffe, so profoundly affected that the teate were streaming down his cheeks: “vise, I my, faithful—Ohb, too faithful Jane |--so faithfal to the memory ef your beloved mistress that your reusoh has reeled and tottered, and been well-nigh wreeked utterly ! Rise: i¢ is not to me that you must knee]——Bat we should both knheel--and here too!” he added, pointing towards the nameless grave. “1 ave been kntcling there this evening,” answered Jane : “I have watered that terf with my téara, for I know whose remains lie beneath ! And I invoked the sainted spirit of my beluved mistress-—-for a siiat in heaven I know she must be !—I inveked her eainted spirit, I say, te intercede at the throne of Eternal Grace that my reason might be given back to me—and a suft voice seemed to whisper ia my ear that the prayer was heard and that the beon I eraved was granted! Then I arose from over the turf of that grave; and I was departing, when I beheld the form of some one stop here to contemplate the stone. I beheld you stand awhile on this spot-- I murvelled who he eould be that thus shared with me the deep, deep interest I feel in this grave: i approached—I recognised you.” “ And now Witt yoa tell me, Jane,” asked Mr. Redciffe, who had Hetened with profvandest wmo- tione to her statemvent—“ will you tel me whence you learnt sufficient to convines yoa——” "Mr. Redcliffe—for by that wane will I still call you,” intetrupted Jane, a sudden teminiscence striking her—“ there is this night a human life to be saved—and he who shall be thes saved, will tell you ali! My knowledge of everythiag is bat yet partial: the tale te which I listened rewaitis un- finished ——” “ And thie Hife that i2 te be mved ” said Mr. Redcliffe, apprehending for ® momunt that the poor creatare’s tnteilect was wandering again : and he ghsed upon her anticasly te seo if bis wdimise was well fuunded.. “No, no!” she exclaimed, penetrating what whs passing % his mind; “my reamm errs hot again! It is os I assure you. In thas eoteage dwelis the sexton, who can tell you the teh of this perished one’s hapless fate; aad bis life is in dehger—for the miséreant who did the decd at l, $s in the weighbourhood———~he is there |” “What l’’ ejaculated Redcliffe: “ Bernes—the tourderer of Pollard—the man who escaped from gaol-——” “He w there!” responded Jane, pointiag towards the Gottage; “and he ecomtemplates an. other crime. I was determitied te frustrate it s— that very instant when [ encountered you, was I about te repair te the village and inveke the aid of pereons there to capture the murderen 1 had been thinking for hours how I should best prevent the new crime aud hand over the perpetrator of the old one to justice: for I feared—alas! I feared that whatecever I might say would be taken only as tho ravings of a poor crazed creature |” “We qill at once adept measures!” ejaculated Redcliffe. ‘“Qome with me! WHonceferth you must not be a wanderer! Come———But fret ef uli Ome isstaht’s devotion here {” Thus speaking, he threw himself upon his knews by the side ef the grave of the unnamed one: he bent over thé turf—he covered his face with his hande-~-and Jane, who stood at a short dis- tance, could hear the coavulesive sobs that came from his troubled breast. When he alowly arceo frova his supphiant posture, bis counteneace, as the moonlight fell upon it, was ghastly pale: but yet |. it was not euhvulsed--it now wore the exprossion of a deep, serene, resigned moutnfulnes. He and Jane, issuing from the churchyard, pro- ceeded together ta the direction of the village ; and while walking thither, Mr. Hedcliffe asked, * Wherefore did you leave that asylum which I provided fer you, and where thé people, theugh in huesdle ciceutnsiances, were to kind and good te you P” “ Have I not said, Mr. Redeliffe,” teaponded his companion, “that I felt there was a mission to be falfilledand that by me it must be accom- pliswed? I knew that if I asked permission to leave that home which you provided for me, i¢ would be refaged; I therefore stole away, taking with me the contents of the purse you so gene- rously ieft me. And then, on becoming a wan- derer again, I procared for myself the mean apparel which bebame a wanderer’s condition ” “Enough, enough, Jane!” interrupted Mr. Wie. “I wee wrong to question you on the sabject: I should have comprehended how your- wumweatying devotion to the memory of your be- leved mistress would have thus rendered you a | wanderer until you hed ascertained her fate. And [ teo bave deen a wanderer!” said Mr. Redcliffe, — “a wanderer for the same object—bdut latterly to seek for you hkewiee, since I learnt you? saddea fight from the cottage near Liverpool. It was not accident—it was heaven itself that brought me to this setladed village, that I uiight meet with } you, and through you learn the solution of that sad and loig-enduring mystery |” They now entered the village; ahd the landlord ‘of the fittle inn was astonished whea he betield his new guest returning im the company of that dttange wnd gipeytike women. But Mr. Red- cliffe, at once making him an teapérative sigan to dk no questiuns, said, “ Let your wife take charge of this female, and aurrouhd ker with all pussible attentions. Let suitable apperel be provided for her—treat bor as yeu would treat a guest who flourished a well-filled purse before yeur eyes—but beware how you or any ene belonging te you ques tion her impertinently |” The landlord bowed—and at once summoned : his wife, whom Jane accompanied with the docile COMIECHOOKS- Conn