The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

rg - “ 14 where her father and the surgeon were conversing . together close by Mabel and the child—-* should think that from any protracted conversation be- tween us, Iam either led by your entreaties or my own good feeling to do what you so little de- serve. Retire, then, for the present, to a room which will be prepared for you; and to-night, at eleven o’clock, meet me in the chapel. You know your way thither, and the doors will be open.” She then bowed with distant coolness so as to have the appearance of exercising a haughty dig- nity to put an end to a discourse which should be continued no longer; and she turned to rejoin the group at the other extremity of the room. Ralph, who had listened with mingled astonish- ment and reviving hope to the singular speech which Lady Saxondale had thus delivered with rapid utterance, remained rooted to the spot for a few moments: but speedily recovering himeelf, he hastened from the apartment. CHAPTER IV THE CHAPEL. Tue clock in the tower over the entrance of Saxondale Castle, was proclaiming the hour of eleven with its deep metallic tone, as Ralph, hav- ing threaded the various passages and corridors leading towards the chapel, entered that place of appointment. The wax candle which he carried in one hand and shaded with the other to protect the light from thedraught, threw butadismal,sickly gleam around—rather enhancing than dispelling the gloom of the place; while the open arched entrance into the cloister containing the tombs and the statue, seemed the mouth of a cavern of pitchy blackness. Ralph Farefield was not however tke man to give way to superstitious feelings: the selfish concerns of the known world were too absorb- ing to allow his imagination to wander to that unknown world whence spirits are conjured up. Placing the candle in a niche, so as to secure it from the draught, he leant against the wall with folded arms, awaiting Lady Saxondale, who had not yet made her appearance. Her conduct bad both surprised and perplexed Ralph Farefield. What could she mean? why this mysterious ap- pointment? Could she not have managed some other place and hour for a meeting ? and did she not actually compromise her reputation by the course she was adopting? Was it possible that she had conceiveda passion for him? Naturally good-looking and of a strong constitution, he bore but few traces of the debauched and profligate life which he had led; and being tall, slender, aud well-formed, it might not be considered an over- weening vanity on his part, if he entertained the supposition that a young and impassioned woman had really fallen in love with him. Besides, he was not more than five-and-twenty—only four years older than Lady Saxondale herself: and thus, everything considered, he seemed warranted in entertaining that belief. But if it should prove incorrect, then must he suppose her conduct to be instigated by that scintillation of friendly feeling to which she had alluded, and which she described a8 being conjured up by the recollections of earlier a et tt ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. days, when as boy and girl they were playmates together? Orifeven this supposition did not ac- count for her behaviour towards him, was it that she had special reasons of her own for wishing to get him away from the castle as soon as possible, and that she really had no other opportunity ofcar- rying her views into execution except by means of the earliest and most secret appointment which at the moment she had been able to think of? While revolving these various speculations in his mind, Ralph Farefield heard a light step ap- proaching along the corridor towards the chapel- door, which he had left ajar; and in a few mo- ments Lady Saxondale made her appearance, also with a wax-taper in her hand. Ralph at once _ saw that she was pale—very pale: but her coun- SSS " - tenance gave no other indication of any feelings which might be agitating in her bosom. Closing the door, but not fastening it, she approached him with slow step ; and placiug the candle in the same niche where he had deposited his own, she said, “Mr. Farefield, you are doubtless surprised—in- deed, you must be—at my conduct. It may ap- pear indecorous—it may even warrant you in entertaining an evil opinion with regard to me. Therefore, let me at once assure you that the mo- tives which prompt me to act with kindness to- wards you, and the considerations which have compelled me to render our meeting as secret as possible, are precisely and exactly those which I stated this evening when in the drawing-room.” While Lady Saxondale was thus speaking, she assumed a certain dignity of manner which even more than her words convinced Ralph: that his supposition of her having fallen in love with him was altogether unfounded. He was therefore compelled to believe himself the object of her sym- pathy alone; andhe accordingly looked as humble, contrite, and submissive as he possibly could. ‘‘But in addition to the motives already ex- plained for making an appointment here,” conti- nued Lady Saxondale, ‘‘ I had another which will presently appear. Listen to what I have to say. “ Until the birth of asonand heir, your late uncle experienced considerable uneasiness on my account, knowing that in the ordinary course of nature his death nust take place many years before my own. In consequence of the stringent terms of the entail which, had our marriage produced no heir, would have given the entire property to you, the only means by which your late uncle could make a pro- vision for me was by saving as much ready money as possible: for previous to our marriage his lord- ship had none put by. With a view therefore to economy, we remained altogether at the castle, and did not visit the metropolisduring the season. The result of his lordship’s savings has been close upon twenty thousand pounds; and this money But, ah!” exclaimed Lady Saxondale, suddenly inter- rupting herself, as ifa thought had struck her: “‘if I tell you where this money is concealed———” “T understand your ladyship,” said Ralph, per- ceiving that she hesitated. “ You generously in- tend to give me a portion; and you would ask what guarantee there is that I will not by force and violence possess myself of the whole? Ma- dam, think you that while receiving your bounty, I am capable of such black villany é “ No—I will not entertain so evil an opinion of human nature,” rejoined Lady Saxondale. “It is my purpose to give you five thousand poanas MICLOO@C) S (E()