The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

160 evident this new thougnt was tending towards a desperate resolve. Mabel was still too much a prey to her irritated feelings to notice the ominous ex- pression which Lady Saxondale’s countenance had gradually assumed; and after giving vent to some more of her ill-humour, she abruptly withdrew. “ This matter is also coming to a crisis!’ muttered | Lady Saxondale to herself as the door closed behind the housekeeper. ‘“ Mabel is now the must danger: ' ous of all those with whom I have to contend. | But—— And she stopped suddenly short, while the sinis- ter lowering of her brows, the firm compression of her lips, and the decided air with which she turned towards the window, sufficiently indicated the adop- tion of some energetic resolve. Soon afterwards a footman entered to announce that dinner was served up. Lady Saxondale accord- ingly descended to the dining-room, where Juliana and Constance had already met. The three ladies dined alone together that day: there was no com- pany invited—and such a dinner was always held as the dullest thing in the world amongst people in hich life. For the families of the aristocracy have seldom any resources of their own—while the frivo- lities and platitudes of fashionable life become weari- some to a degree, stale and flat beyond measure, when practised amongst themselves. Thus it is that they seldom dine without guests at their table. On the present occasion, therefore, the dinner-scene was tedious and insipid to a degree: but little conversa- tion passed, and that was of a languid description. Nevertheless Lady Saxondale was the whole time watching Juliana’s countenance, without appearing to take any unusual notice of her. She looked, with the keen eye of a mother, to probe the young lady’s secret to the very uttermost, and ascertain if there were any indications to confirm her worst suspicion: but on this head she could gather nothing certain. The cloth was removed and the dessert was upon the table, when Francis Paton entered the room; and accosting Lady Saxondale, bent down and whis- pered something in a low voice. Her ladyship gave an involuntary start, and even turned pale for a mo- TIE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “ Nonsense!” ejaculated Juliana. “ We are get- ting too old for such mawkish sentimentalism; and I for one mean in future to be my own mistress. But this woman ——L must go and ascertain if it be she.” With these words Juliana tripped forth from the dining-room which opened into the hall. On the opposite side was the parlour into, which persons ' calling on any private business were usually shown; _and it was in that parlour the young lady knew her mother to be now closctted with the woman whose arrival had been announced by Francis. No one was in the hall at the moment; and Juliana, unable to resist the opportunity and the temptation, ap- proached the parlour-door. She heard a female voice speaking at the moment. “But [ insist upon it,” said this voice, in a per- emptory manner and with loud accents. “I insist upon it, I repeat.” * Hush! do not be so violent,” immediately an- swered Lady Saxondale in an imploring tone, which sounded singular indeed when coming from her haughty lips. “ HowcanJ possibly do it? The police have gut the matter in hand——” “Yes: they have, and you have put them too much on the right scent,” at once retorted the woman. “Chiffin—for that’s the nameof the prin- cipal one—is a man too useful to me at times to be parted with so easily ——” “ But consider, my good woman,” urged Lady Saxondale, “how extraordinary it will seem if I send for the officer who has this matter in hand, and tell him that I would rather put up with the loss of my property than have him proceed farther in the matter. I cannot do it: it would compromise me seriously. Ask what you will fur yourself—I will give you more money A “ No—I am bent on this, and zill have it done,” rejoined the woman, in a still more },eremptory tone than before. “ Don’t thwart me, Lady Saxondale: or else——” At this moment Juliana’s ear caught thesounds of footsteps ascending the stairs from the servants’ offices below ; and she was compelled to make a ment—all of which was observed by Juliana, | precipitate retreat into the dining-room. Terribly though she appeared to be deeply occupied at the annoyed she was at being thus “disturbed in the moment in cutting off the rind from a ayes of pine- | middle of listening to a discourse s0 fraught with a apple. ‘Tell the person I will see her in a few minutes,” | gaid Lady Saxondale aloud. Francis Paton bowed and withdrew ; and her lady- strange wild interest, and of which she had just caucht a sufficiency of the topie to excite her live- liest curiosity. The little she had heard she at once repeated to her sister; and Constance was as- ship, who evidently remained only for the sake of , tonished at the circumstance of any one possessing not appearing to be flurried by the announcement the power to dictate in such a way to her mother. she had received, affected to talk a little more Indeed, both the sisters were well nigh confounded blithely than she had ere now done. But in a few | at what had taken place. The object of the woman, minutes she rose and quitted the room, intimating even from the little which had been said, was apparent that she should return almost directly. enough: namely, to compel Lady Saxondale to put “IT am convinced,” said Juliana to Constance the | a stop to the search which was being instituted by moment the door closed behind their mother, “that | the poiice after the men who had broken into the the message she received was from the same old house. Then this woman must be intimately con- woman who called the night of the great dinner- | nected with those men? She had indeed said so! party. Iam certain itis. What would I give to Heavens! by what strange circumstance had such discover her business! But I do not see how it is a woman acquired any power or influence over the possible to go and listen at the parlour-door.” haughty Lady Saxondale? Vain and bewildering “Wo—do not risk it, dear Juliana,” urged Con- | conjectures! stance. had not listened to-day when Mr. Gunthorpe called. It is so shocking a thing to have one’s confidence shaken in one’s own ‘io ther? ‘me “To tell you the truth, I almost wish we | “Constance,” said Juliana, in a tone far more serious and grave than she was often wont to adopt, “T like this circumstance less than anything which has ever yet occurred. The revelations our ears ree COMMICELO© <=) (E©)