The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 250: what you’re looking at

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ss.) ————————————————————————————————————————————_———————————_______________________"__N MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 235 (Se ee ale aie Ia SES a a aa Saeed speaking facetiously,” replied the lawyer, rubbing | that if he were well and rational, and hed not that his hands in the self-gratulatory style of one who strange look, he would be handsome? He has got possesses the pleasing consciousness of being well good features—his eyes are fine, but spoilt by that off, ‘‘ your ladyship has given utterance to asolemn vacant regard which they possess. His teeth are truth, and I presume that your ladyship has called remarkably good ——” for your own money now ?” “Well, well, Rosa,” interrupted Lady Bess, lauche “Exactly so, Mr. Robson. It is but a pittance ing, “if you like to fall in love with him, you may. —and yet it is as well to receive it. Have youthe Is the old nurse attentive ?” receipt ready drawn up for me to sign ?” | “Very,” answered Rosa; “and what is better “Here it is, my lady,” was the reply. “Iex- still, she is not impertinently curious. So long as pected your ladyship yesterday or to-day, and pre- she has her beer and her brandy with due regu- pared it accordingly. But let me look out the larity, as well as her five or six meals a-day, I do money.” | not think that she will ask many questions.” Thereupon Mr. Robson opened a drawer in his' “But the doctor—did he endeavour to ascertain desk, took out a number of bank-notes, and from you any particulars concerning the patient ?” counted down sufficient to make up a hundred demanded Lady Bess. pounds. Lady Bess did not take the trouble to sa-{ “Yes: but I told him that he was a cousin of tisfy herself that the sum was correct; but crump- your’s, whom you had not seen for a long time—— ling up all the bank-notes together, she thrust them in short, I said all that was necessary to satisfy the into her pocket—and then taking the pen which doctor, and likewise to prevent him from thinking the old lawyer obsequiously handed her, she signed itodd that you should have a young man in your the receipt. But the name which she appended house.” there was not Chandos: it had a title of nobility, “That was considerate on your part, Rosa,” re- connected with it—a proud and a lofty title ac- sponded Lady Bess: “ for although you know that cording to the estimation of those who value such I am tolerably indifferent in most respects about nominal appendages and aristocratic distinctions. the opinion of the world, yet there is one point on This little business being transacted, Lady Bess which I am rather scrupulous.” quitted the office, accompanied however by the old | “Well, my dear mistress,” rejoined Rosa, laugh- attorney, who obsequiously persisted in escorting ing, “whatever may be said of you after you are her to the cab; and though it was but a hired dead and gone, it is very certain that scandal must etreet-vehicle which she entered, he made her as leave your reputation as awoman alone. It’s really profound a bow when it drove away as if it had quite astonishing to me that such a beautiful, hand- been a private-carriage emblazoned with armorial some, fine-looking creature as you are pray bearings. | excuse me for saying all this——” Lady Bess now drove home to her own pretty’ “Indeed I shall not excuse you at all,” inter- little cottage in the neighbourhood of Edmonton; rupted Lady Bess, laughing: “ for you know that I and dismissing the cab, she entered the elegantly dislike this kind of flattery—or if being too indif- furnished parlour which has already been described ferent to dislike it, I certainly think that you might in an earlier chapter of our narrative. Rosa, her talk upon another subject.” faithful servant, followed her mistress into the She put off her bonnet and shawl, and bade Rosa, room ; and in anticipation of the question which who was going to carry the things up-stairs, see Lady Bess was about to put, she said, “He seems whether the patient was awake; as if so, Lady Bess to be much better. The doctor has been and de- would pay hima visit so soon as she had partaken clares his opinion that in a few days he will be of some refreshments which were already spread convalescent.” upon the table. Rosa returned in a few minutes “But has he become more lucid?” asked Lady with the information that he was wide awake, and Bess: “does his reason seem to be regaining its wasconversing with the nurse more lucidly and con- balance ?” tinuously than he yet had done, Accordingly, so “T think so,” answered Rosa: “for I have been soon as Lady Bess had finished her repast, she sitting up with the old nurse for some hours while ascended to the bed-chamber where the invalid lay, you were out, and he asked several questions which | . v7 appeared rational enough: but they were only put — singly and at long intervals, and the answers did not seem to suggest other questions.” CHAPTER L. “What questions did he ask?” inquired Lady Bess. THE INVALID, * He asked where he was; and when I told him’ . beneath a friendly roof, he only closed his eyes and THE. individual of whom we are speaking was the looked just as if he was lost in thought: but whether pale-faced stranger whom Lady Bess had rescued he has the power to think so much at all, Icannot from captivity at Beech-Tree Lodge. On separating say. After a while he asked who the kind and from her companions on the night alluded to— handsome lady was that came in to see him three having hastily divided with them the fruits of their or four times a day; and when I told him that it expedition— Lady Bess had brought that myste- was Mrs. Chandos, the same who had dressed her- rious individual home to her cottage: but so great self in man’s clothes to help in delivering him, a was the excitement which this restoration to liberty amile played for a moment upon his countenance, produced, that scarcely had he crossed the threshold and he then again fell into that mood of seeming of the hospitable abode when he fell down in a fit abstraction. Do you know, ma’am, that the more and was conveyed to bed dangerously ill. Medical one looks at him, the more one is inclined to think assistance was at once summoned from Tottenham— —_— —-s—- TT —_— SS oe CU Cr --_CUCOOC —_———_— ~ COMmMiclboooks (CO)