The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 375: what you’re looking at

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

THE SECOND ORDEAL 345 morality, and the same fires that circulate in your blood, Eugene, — and in yours, Fernanda, — have also rendered . every vein in my body the conduit for a lava stream. But what more can be alleged against me? Laura may be reproached as a wanton who veils her dissoluteness beneath a widow’s garb and an outward aspect of piety; but Eugene and Fernanda are murderers, — murderers upon evidence, — murderers by their own confession.’ And the words came thick, hoarse, and fraught with a deep malignity, from the tongue of that lady who appeared to have been suddenly changed from an angel of benevolence and Christian amenity into a demoness of revenge, hatred, and spite. ‘Ah! then you push me to extremities,’ exclaimed Lord Montgomery; ‘ and you have only yourself to thank if the work of retaliation proceeds to the end! Laura,’ he added, fixing his eyes upon her countenance with an expression of deep and ominous meaning, “ the terms upon which we stand are more equal than you appear inclined to acknowledge, for if Fernanda and I caused the death of Raymond Mont- gomery, you did the same by your own husband.” The marchioness gave a sudden start, as if a galvanic rod had touched her, and desperately though she struggled against the confusion, terror, and dismay which seized upon her, the attempt was of no avail. The influence of conscious guilt was more powerful than all the arts of dissimulation in which she was so well skilled; and as a mirror darkens sud- denly with the image that passes before it, so did her features reflect the tremendous accusation which had just been levelled against her. Nor did she now endeavour to fall back upon her hypoc- | risy or her guile; but as her mind gradually recovered its self-possession after this last shock, she put on a degree of hardihood and a front of boldness, as if clothing herself in the armour most fitting to meet her adversaries upon the level which crime had established. ‘We now know enough of each other to render it desirable that our differences should be settled amicably,” she said, in a deep voice and with looks of profound significancy. — ‘You speak truly, fair cousin,’ returned Montgomery; ‘‘ inasmuch as open warfare will only lead to the destruction of all three. But in case of an amicable settlement, can you COU Doo cS (GO)