The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

288 sponded Shadbolt: “but there was a Coroner's in- quest on her body to-day—and it appears that it took place quiet enough. I was told nowever that the Hindoo woman died from the scratch of a cobra’s fang in a leather case in which she had brought the reptile with her over from India. The verdict was ‘ Accidental Death,’ or something of that sort; and that’s all I know of the business.” Mr. Shadbolt now took his departure; and the moment he was gone the pretty maid-servant en- tered to complain to her mistress of the man’s rude behaviour every time he visited the house. Ma- dame Angelique was deeply indignant ; for sho had sought, as the reader has seen, to ap as “a saint” in her neighbourhood. She did not there- fore like to have the disoredit of receiving such an immoral person as the said Isaac Shadbolt at her house. She promised her pariour-maid to put a stop to his improprieties; and the girl was con- tented. Madame Angelique was more than half inclined to believe that Mr. Shadbolt had swindled her out of the two hundred guineas which he had alleged to be for the purpose of fecing Mr. Coleman; and the intelligence she had just received from ber well-looking domestic aggravated her ill-feeling against Shadbolt. She inwardly anathematised the necessity of countenancing the visite of euch an individual; and her thoughts being agitated, she went forth to cool her brain with the fresh eir of the garden. Madame Angelique was by no means astonished that the arrest of Lord Clandon should have pro- duced such a powerful effect upon the Duke of Marchmont: for it will be remembered that bis Grace had made certain unconscious revelations when he was at the ex-milliner’s villa, after having experi serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Burker. The Frenchwoman was giad that ah had passed out of this world; for she had ever trembled lest an investigation into the source of the murderous attack, which had been by mistake made upon the aysh, should lead to the exposure of antecedent circumstances, and thereby perilously drag in the name of Madame Angelique herself. But still, though that one cause of apprehension appeared to have been re- moved, the Frenchwoman was far from being tran- quilin her mind. She believed that the tangled web which the Duke of Marchmont had woven, might now probably be closing in around himself; and she had been eo mixed up with many of his schemes and projecte—though at the time uncon- scious of how far she was being used as a mere in- strument, and to what special aims his machinations were directed—she trembled lest there should be a general crash, which might involve herself in the ruins, And then too there was this Isaac Shad- bolt, who wielded a sort of power over her, and who she saw but too plainly was resolved to use her puree as his own—who came to the house at all bours—insulted her servan her with his intemperance—and feasted at her ex- pense,—there was this man, we say, whom she could not sheke off, and whose presence she loathed. Thus, altogether, the ex-milliner found, as we have before stated, that on abandoning her business and retiring to her besutifal suburban ville, she had not alighted on a bed of roses. She felt the want of fresh air; and therefore scarcely refreshed the heated cheeks and throbbing brows of the Frenchwoman: for presentiments of evil were in her mind. As she was walking through the paddock, her ear caught the sounds of some equipage in the adjoining lane: but the trees prevented her from immediately distinguish. ing what it was; and she moreover bestowed bat little distance. Presently a break in the trees reveeled the equi- page to her view; and she saw that it was a post- chaise. At the same instant she heard footsteps advancing towards her from behind; and turning round, she beheld two coarsely-dressed men ap- proaching. They were attired as labourers; cach carrying a stick in his hand. Mademe Angelique was frightened: for she recollected that her men- servants were out on some business connected with the stable; and the situation of the villa was saf- ficiently lonely to justify her apprehension. A scream was about to peal from ber lips, when one of the men eaid to her in a resolute voice, “ We want you—and you must come along with us. All disturbance will be useless !” Whereupon the speaker seized her by the arm, while his companion caught her by the waist— both alike forbidding her at her peril fram cryiag out. The ex-milliner however screamed; and thea a hand was instantaneously placed over ber moath —while one of the men exclaimed in her ear, “Ist is in the Duke of Marchmont’s affair that you sre wanted !” This announcement at once paralysed Madame Angelique; and an awfal consternation seized upon her. But at that instant some one was seen bounding towards the spot; and Sir Frederick Latham made his appearance on the scene. Without pausing to inquire into the natare of the outrage—nor weighing the probabilities of some transgression on the Frenchwoman’s part on the one hand, against a proceeding which at « glance was so suspicious on the other—the City merchant grappled with the two men; and 6 struggle eneued. Wreeting the clab from the hand of one of the intending abductors, Sir Frederick struck him to the ground; and the other at once took to his heels. Madame Angelique clung to her deliverer: but terror still stifled the power of utterance. “Villain! what means this?” exclaimed Gir Frederick, thus sternly addressing the man whom he had stricken down, and who, half-stunned by the blow, was painfully endeavouring to rise. Bat scarcely was the question put, when an- other person appeared upon the scene. This was Christian Ashton, who had forth from the postchaise on beholding Sir Frederick Latham leap from his horse and rush to the assistance of the ex-milliner. The recognition of Christian on the merchant's part was instantaneous; and our hero hastened to say to him, “Suspend your judgment, Sir Frederick! I hold myself responsible for this COMME OOO @ (CO