The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 291: what you’re looking at

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276 THE MYSTERIES submission?” said the baronet, with a look of ill- repressed triumph, the mument the Marquis made his appearance. “Tt may perhaps be otherwise,” returned Ville- belle drily. ‘“ We shall see. Permit me to remark that it must be a proceeding of a strange character that makes it an object of importance to you, even at the present day, whether I contract another marriage or not * “‘Remember our compact, Marquis! Five years have elapsed since the occurrence took place, and you are as much bound to observe it now as you were then. You were to ask no questions—demand no explanations 4’ | “True,” interrupted Villebelle: “ but what if things have come to my knowledge without my seeking them P” “ What mean you?” suddenly demanded Sir John Marston, as he started up from his seat: but in- stantaneously resuming it again, he said in a sati- rical manner, “ You fancy that by throwing out random hints and inuendos of this kind you will terrify me. It is useless. I tell you that I have my own reasons for desiring that there should be but one Marchioness of Villebelle in the world.” “And I tell you in return, Sir John Marston,” replied Etienne, “that I will no longer adhere to a compact of so unholy, so unnatural a character. It is monstrous to suppose that I will do so. My necessities were taken advantage of at the time ¥ “ Yes—you were in that bitter plight that you would have sold your soul to Satan,’ responded Marston: “but as you have made the compact, so must you abide by it. Now, Ido not wish to be on unfriendly terms with you. It is the first time we have met since the marriage took place in Paris. I tnen promised that I would not lose sight of you; but I have been abroad the whole time until within the last two or three raonths, during which f have remained in the seclusion of this watering- place. Perhaps, then, I have neglected you—per- haps I have been regardless of my promise: but I am now willing to make amends. Say, do you require money P—for if by preventing this second marriage of your’s I disappoint your hopes in clutch- ing the fortune of an heiress gf: “ Enough, enough, Sir John Marston !” exclaimed Villebelle indignantly. “ You doubtless judge others by yourself, I have no such mercenary motive. The young lady whom you saw just now, has no fortune that she can call her own. But enough, I say, of this parley: it is beneath me to remain bandying words with you here. I give you due warning that if you continue the aggressor, you may perhaps bitterly regret the retaliation it will be in my power to offer. Ah! you seem to doubt me still?”—then after a brief pause, during which he looked Sir John Marston fixedly in the face, Villebelle said, “ Perhaps the name of Lady Hverton may convince you that it is no idle threat which I fling out.” The baronet half started from his seat, but sank down into it again; and falling back in the chair, gazed upon the Marquis of Villebelle in speechless dismay—so that the lover of Constance at once saw that the talisman did indeed possess the yirtue which had been ascribed to it. ** How came you to learn this?” asked the baronet wa deep hollow voice: and indeed the effect which OF THE COURT. the mention of that name had thus produced was even greater than Villebelle had anticipated — for there were the mingled ghastliness and blankness of utter despair in the baronet’s countenance. “No matter—ask me no questions,” responded the Marquis, assuming the tone of assurance which would be adopted by one conscious of wielding an immeuse power over another. “ But she——your wife——does she know all this?” asked Sir John, his manner now suddenly changing into the excitement of the liveliest anxiety and suspense, “T will tell you nuthing,” rejoined Villebelle. ‘‘ Ask me no more questions. Suffice it to say that it is not I who seek to quarrel with you.” “ And therefore whatsoever you know you will keep to yourself ?” eagerly interjected the baronet. “Ah, your spy I perceive!” said the Marquis coldly, as he fixed his eyes upon the window, from which happening to glance forth, he beheld the per- son who had followed him from the vicinage of the Admirals Head. | “ He shall watch you no more,” the baronet has- tened to observe. ‘ I will dismiss him at once. You sec,” he added with nervous excitement and fawn- ing cringingness, “ I am willing to be on friendly terms with you if I can.” Thus speaking, Sir John Marston hastened to the window—tapped at the pane—and made a sign for the man to enter the house. He himself then has- tened out of the room to open the street-door and give the individual admittance: having done which, he remained speaking a few moments in the hall with him. Meanwhile the Marquis of Villebelle had turned away from the window, and walked carelessly across the room, inwardly rejoiciug that Kate Marshall’s talismanic words shoul.l-have produced so signal an effect. Passing by the table, his eyes fell upon the numerous papers scattered upon the desk and round about it: and at the very instant he was about to witldraw his glance with the instinctive aversion of an honourable-minded man to pry ito secret docu- ments, his looks encountered a name upon one of the papers that at once rivetted them there. All seru- ples vanished in a moment: he looked closer at the paper—read half-a-dozen lines—and then with an ejaculation of astonishment, turned aside again and advanced towards the window. The next moment Sir John Marston re-enterea the room; and carefully closing the door, he accosted Villebelle, saying, “ You will be molested by that person no longer. I have ordered in wine—you must drink with me as a proof that you are not in downright enmity against me.” “Sir John Marston,” responded Villebelle, “such words have passed between us this day as to render it impossible that we can sit down together in a friendly manner. I can only repeat, that if it be an understanding between us at this moment that we abstain from mutual molestation, I will adhere to that compact.” “Yes, yes—be it so, be it so!” replied Marston, still labouring under a nervous excitement: and changed indeed was the manner of the man from what it was in its domineering t yranny at the Admiral’s Head, and from its sneering scornfulness when Villebelle first entered the room where they now stood together. LLL G(—G im CONMIC VOOLKS (E)