The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

CONCLUSION OF HISTORY OF SELLIS 77 ant of the duke. But why suppose him committing one unnecessary crime in order to veil another? It would have been an act of sheer madness on Neale’s part, and the theory is not tenable for a moment.”’ “Then who — who —”’ asked Mrs. Bredalbane, scarcely daring to allow her lips to form the query which all her sus- picions now naturally suggested. ‘“* My dear friend, between you and me,” said Mrs. Arbuth- not, “‘ there is not the slightest necessity to mince matters. We are alone, we shall not betray each other, and we may therefore speak without reserve. This, then, is my opinion, my firm opinion, the opinion to which I came while reading Sellis’s letter.” “‘ And that opionion? ”’ asked Mrs. Bredalbane. “Is that Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, was guilty of incest with his sister, the Princess Augusta, and was himself the murderer of Sellis.”’ | Such was the answer that Mrs. Arbuthnot gave in a firm and solemn voice, and then a long pause ensued. “Yes, it must be so,’ said Mrs. Bredalbane, at length breaking silence and speaking in a musing tone. “I com- prehend it all now. That letter was intended to have been sent to the Duke of Cumberland, whereas until this night I have always imagined that it was meant for Neale. Poor Sellis! he must have been endowed with fine and even noble feelings indeed. That such was the case his letter fully proves.” ‘‘ And in imagination,” continued Mrs. Arbuthnot, “‘ one may penetrate into the solitude of his chamber on that fear- ful night. I fancy that I can see him, carried along by a torrent of irresistible feelings excited by the fearful crime of incest which he had witnessed, taking up his pen to give expression to those feelings in a letter to his royal master, that master whom he evidently considered to have forfeited all claim to respect and deference. Then may we imagine him throwing down his pen, perhaps even tossing the paper itself impatiently aside, so that it fell down in the corner where Joux picked it up, and throwing himself, half-dressed as he was, upon the bed, exhausted by the fearful excite- ment of his overwrought feelings. But ah! now comes the awful phase of the tremendous drama. The door opens, the Duke of Cumberland steals in, Sellis sleeps, and from (C(O) nn) GDoOOo <Si in