The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

166 7 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. that we shall have plenty of opportunities of ex- pressing our opinions together on this and other points ere we separate.” “ Andis it really your intention,” asked Hen- rietta, utterly reduced to despair by those last words which augured a long captivity for her, * to keep me a prisoner here in defiance of the law ?” “ The law!’’ echoed the woman, with another scornful look, and this time it was accompanied by a still moresardonic laugh. * Thelaw is only made to coerce the poor, and not to restrain the rich.” ‘‘ Heavens! into whose power have I fallen !” cried Henrietta, wringing her hands in anguish as she sat down again on the sofa: for it really seemed to her as if a fiend in human shape, and not one of her own sex, were flinging these proud defiances alike at virtue and at legality. “ You have fallen into the hands of a nobleman who will ensure you against want for the rest of your days, and lavish all the advantages of wealth upon you,” returned the woman, “ provided that you willingly accept the destiny marked out for you. But if, onthe other hand, you play the silly prude——However, I will not threaten you in respect to that alternative; because you have not been in the house as yet a quarter of an hour, and have passed through a fainting fit during that brief interval.” “‘ Now listen to me,” said Henrietta, suddenly wiping the tears from her eyes, and speaking with firmness and energy. “ I have a mother who has been very, very ill, and whose health is still most precarious. My prolonged absence from her may be followed by fatal consequences. I have a little brother, only seven years old; and if anything should happen to my poor mother, who is to take care of him while I am in captivity here? I con- jure you, if you have the slightest spark of feeling in your breast, to suffer me to go hence; and I declare solemnly that I will take no step to punish the authors of this outrage. But if you refuse this prayer which I offer up, I warn you that I will exert every effort to summon succour to my aid. My screams and shrieks shall pierce be- yond these walls—there are other houses at no great distance—the. passers-by in the road must likewise hear me ——Or if these means fail, then will I watch the first opportunity to precipitate myself from a window, no matter what height from the ground. In short, I am desperate! You may think me a weak and powerless young girl; but the maddening nature of my thoughts will inspire me with the strength and the courage of a giantess !” All this is remarkably fine, very heroic, and very romantic indeed,” observed the woman, with the cold irony of disdain. ‘“ The only misfortune is that your appeal to my sympathy is as useless as if you addressed yourself to one of the statues .in the hall; and the accomplishment of your threats will prove somewhat more difficult than you imagine.” “ Good heavens !” cried the wretched Henrietta, “is it possible that any one in female shape can proclaim herself as heartless as the cold insensate marble? Woman, you must be a fiend—you must be a fiend !” shs added, with an outburst of uncontrollable vehemence. ‘ And as for what J have threatened to do, you ¢annot prevent me— no, you cannot prevent me! My screams shall raise the whole neighbourhood !” (ee me With these words, uttered in wild frenzy, Hen= rietta sprang towards the nearest window : butshe recoiled with a sudden horror on observing that it was well provided with iron bars. Her agonizing glance was flung towards the two other windows which belonged to the same room; and at each did she observe a similar grating. Just heaven! where was she? what prison wasthis? Reeling half round, with a frighful dizziness in her brain, the unhappy girl staggered toa seat, on which she sank down ; and at the same moment the mocking laugh of that fiend-like woman rang in her ears. ‘‘Now, Miss Leyden,” said this dreadful creature, ‘do you begin to understand that your threats are all as ridiculous as your own silly prudery? There is not a window in the house which is not thus de- fended with iron bars; and therefore you will be spared the disagreeable alternative of self-destruc- tion. As for your screams, you are quite welcome to open one of those windows and shriek forth till you lose your voice altogether. I can assure you that none of the neighbours will think of coming to your assistance. They will ouly wonder what poor maniac has been brought hither.” “A maniac!” echoed Henrietta, springing up from her seat as if galvanized with the light of the horrid truth which now flashed to her mind: ‘‘a maniac, did you say? What house then is this ?”—and her voice sank to a subdued andawe- inspired lowness of tone as she put the question. “IT do not intend to be too communicative, my pretty dear,” responded the woman : “ butit may be that Mr. Bellamy—that is the gentleman who brought you hither —keeps a private lunaticasylum where he from time to time receives patients ” “ Hnough, enough!” interrupted Henrietta, hysterically ; and again sinking down upon the seat, she covered her face with her hands, the tears gushing forth between her fingers. ““ So you perceive,” continued the woman, who appeared to take a devilish delight in making known to the young lady the utter hopelessness of her position, “ that you will not be gratified with the facility of leaping from a window: nor will it be worth while to spoil your sweet voice by in- effectual screams. I would advise you to com- pose yourself—to make up your mind to the destiny which is inevitably yours ; and whenever you think fit, I will conduct you to the apart- meuts which you are to occupy. You need not hurry yourself, unless you like: I am inno hurry myself. Therefore, whether you come now or two or three hours hence, is not of the smallest consequence to me.” Henrietta pressed her fingers to her throbbing brows, and endeavoured to steady her thoughts. She saw the inutility of giving way to heranguish ; and as the hope of escape was the only one which now remained to her, she thought that the sooner she made herself acquainted with the quarters to be assigned to her, the better. She accordingly wiped her eyes—struggled with a powerful effort to subdue the violence of her grief—and inti- mated to the woman that she was ready to ac- company her. “Just as you please,” was the cold ironical answer; and she who gave it forthwith con- ducted the young captive out of the room. They passed into the hall, and thence ascended that handsome flight of stairs already mentioned They reached a landing adorned with statues, CORMICOOOKS. EO