The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 378: what you’re looking at

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

. _ 7 . tee a THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, “ Kind, Elizabeth!” ejaculated Mr. Cresthoune, © But I must subdue these emotions for the present,” he murmured to himself: then after a brief interval of reflection, he said, “ There are many, many more questions that I should wish to ask you: but I am fearful of appearing too obtrusive at present. Many mysteries are evidently arrquading you both.” And which, if I mistake not, Mr. Gimnphorpe,” said Lady Bess, accosting the old gentleman and_ te dwell too long upon the past. looking earnestly in his countenance, ‘ methinks that you could clear up if you would. Yes—I am | convinced of it!” | At this moment the door of the parlour opened, and the invalid appeared upon the threshold, “ Adolphus!” ejaculated Mr. Gunthorpe the in- stant he caught sight of the young nobleman’s countenance. | “What! you know him?” said Lady Bess, with increased surprise. ‘“ What is the meaning of all this? Who are you, Mr. Gunthorpe? Pray speak —tell us—keep us not in suspense oh “TY knew Adolphus when he was a boy,” said the old gentleman, his voice again becoming tremulous and his looks expressive of deep inward emotiun, as he seized the invalid’s hand and pressed it warmly. | Adolphus had been naturally surprised at so fer- vid a greeting from a stranger: but the moment he learnt, by Lady Bess’s words, that the old gentle- man was Mr. Gunthorpe of whom Henrietta had often spoken, he expressed the most enthusiastic delight at making his acquaintance. Mr. Gun- thorpe gazed upon him long and earnestly; and then said in a solemn voice, “ Yes: assuredly you are the true and rightful Lord Everton!” “There cannot bea doubt of it,” observed Lady Bess: “we have proofs the most ‘positive. Well did Adolphus recognize the portrait of his mother-—— “The portrait of Lady Everton?” said Mr. Gun- thorpe. “Have you it here? If so, permit me to see it.” “It is here,” said Elizabeth, unlocking a writing- desk and producing the picture which she had torn from the book at Lord Petersfield’s house. Mr. Gunthorpe took it from her hand, and has- tened to the window, where he contemplated that portrait for some minutes. His back was turned towards Ado!phus, Elizabeth, and Frank, during the time that he was thus occupied: but that his gaze was intent, and that he studied the picture earnestly, was evident from the circumstance that his head moved not during those minutes. As he turned away from the window and gave back the portrait to Lady Bess, she observed that there was the mark of a tear-drop upon it: and she felt more convinced than even at first, that Mr. Gunthorpe was in some way or another intimately yet mysteriously con- nected with the circumstances relating to the past and which the present was rapidly developing. “ My dear young friend,” said the old gentleman, addressing himself to Adolphus, “the principal ob- ject of my visit here to-day was to speak to you upon a certain delicate matter. I am indeed glad that I came,” he continued, flinging a rapid glance upon Elizabeth and Frank: “for I have heard things which I little expected to hear, and which have interested me profoundly. But upon those ET i te | a —_ --——— —_—-——-— a - — —— 363 points we shall touch no more to-day. For. the pre- sent let me speak to you, Adolphus, relative to your own affairs. Do not regard me as a stranger: I am not one. When you were a boy, I knew you well: but you doubtless recollect me not. I am so much altered !’”’—and these last words were uttered mournfully. ‘“My dear sir,” whispered Elizabeth Chandos, drawing Mr. Gunthorpe aside, “it pains Adolphus If you will, I am ' perfectly disposed to’ submit to you all the proofs [ ‘have obtained in respect to the atrocious guilt of his uncle, the usurping Lord Everton. Come with me into another room.’ Mr, Gunthorpe according followed Lady Bess to the opposite parlour; and when they were alone together, she narrated to him all that she had learnt from the lips of Adolphus relative to the incidents of his earlier years, and how he was carried off from Everton Park in the middle of the night, just be- fore his father, General Lord Everton, was expected home from India. She likewise explained how on that very same night the corpse of another boy ot the same age was substituted for the living heir. Mr. Gunthorpe rose from his seat at this part of the narrative, and paced to and fro in the little apartment in a state of the utmost excitement. “¥ knew that Everton,” alluding to the uncle, “was avillain,” he said: “but still 1 thought him not capable of such monstrous guilt as this! By heaven, there is no punishment too great for such a miscreant: Eow is it, Elizabeth, that you have not invoked the aid of justice ere now ?” “Ah! my dear sir,” responded Lady Bess, in a tone of deep melancholy, ‘ because there are reasons which induce me to seek the settlement of all this without exposure to the world.” “And those reasons?” asked Mr. Gunthorpe, with a look of anxiety and suspense. “T fear,” replied Elizabeth Chandos, slowly, “that this bad man is acquainted with secrets re- lative to one whose honour and good name must be spared.” “And that one?” cried Mr. mently. * Lady Everton—the mother of Adolphus!” re- joined Lady Bess. “ But not to Adolphus yet have I revealed what I know or rather suspect- “But to me, Elizabeth—to mé, I say,” inter- rupted Mr. Gunthorpe, with a voice and look of solemn adjuration: “to me must you tell every thing! I did not think of entering farther iio explanations this day: but what you have been say- ing renders it necessary. Tell me then, my dear Elizabeth—tell me, I beseech you—what your sus- picions are, or what your knowledge is ?” *T will, Mr. Gunthorpe,” responded the ama- zonian lady, deeply impressed with the conviction that he had not merely grave reasons but even some mysterious right thus to question her: then in a low and solemn voice, she added, “ My belief is, Mr. Gunthorpe, that Lady Everton is my own mother, and therefore the mother of Frank also !” Mr. Gunthorpe said nothing: but he looked strangely at Lady Bess. Indeed, shrewd and pene- trating though she was, she could not comprehend the nature of that look: but at least she felt assured that it was fraught with a kind interest for her. “ Yes—that indeed is a grave consideration,” Gunthorpe vehe- he ee eee rt ECOMmMiclboooks (CO)