The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

THE EARL’S LAST ACT OF REPARATION 269 ‘Oh! then a sacrifice must be made by one that the other may be happy,” said the earl, hastily. . “ And inasmuch as I have been thine evil genius, Eleanor, inasmuch as I drew thee into a marriage which thou hast been fated to deplore from the very first, oh, on account of all this, I will endeavour — now — at last — to make thee a signal reparation! Be happy, Eleanor, may God forgive and bless thee — ”’ ‘What mean you?” gasped the horror-stricken lady, her large dark eyes gazing upon him in ghastly consternation. “You will make the world believe it was an accident, Eleanor,” said the nobleman; then, dropping her hand after pressing it fervidly for an instant, he threw himself over the parapet. A scream — a piercing, rending scream of anguish thrilled from the lips of Lady Desborough; and the next moment she erew rigid, transfixed to the spot with an appalling constcr- nation, her eyes dilated, her lips apart, her cheeks perfectly blanched, and her whole attitude that of agonized terror. The gardeners, who were working on the grounds at the front of the house, beheld the tragedy and hurried to the place where the nobleman fell; but his head was frightfully shat- tered, and life was extinct. The servants rushed up to the roof to take charge of their mistress, whom they bore, raving with delirium, to her own chamber; and the tidings of the fatal accident which had occurred to Lord Desborough soon spread like wild-fire throughout the neighbourhood. ECONNIECLOO eS (GO)