The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

OO ee rm nr er me ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. —_—~ Et ——_ a 149 ne natal aa, a tpaeth oe Lk UE es es Cl , ————— ee gent made acknowledgment of his guilt in that document and also promised on his royal word to | thrust the pocket-book into that vase,” she con- tinued, indicating the ornament with her delicate grant a free pardon to the said Paul Dysart, | hand: “but had you proffered me less than the whatever sentence might be passed upon him by any trivunal on account of the duel with the Honourable George Sefton.” Such was the explanation given of the myste- rious document by Lady Ernestina Dysart; and it was delivered in a low, tremulous voice, with much hesitation, and with deep blushes. « And now tell me,” said the Marquis of Leve- son, “why the place into which his Royal High- ness and myseli were shown, was bung with black cloth——” “Oh! that mystery is soon explained,” cried Ernestina, gladly passing from the immediate and positive topic of her own shame and guilt. “ About a year ago General Beechey’s wife died at the Manor—and the juneral was conducted with the utmost pomp and ceremony. ‘The hall and the staircase were huny with black cloth; and this mourning drapery was subsequently put aside in a closet. When Dysart and myself arrived at the Manor the other day, we found this drapery; and my husband immediately resolved to have it hung up again for the proceedings of last Mon- day nigbt. His object in doing this was two- fuid. In the first place, it would so disguise the interior of the house as to prevent any future recognition of the scene where those proceed- ines were to be enacted, supposing that his hKoyal Highness should endeavour to fiud out by means of spies the exact dwelling to which he was taken; and in the second place, Dysart conceived that it would enhance the mystery of the whole affair, and produce a greater effect upon tle mind of the Prince, so that no circumstance should be wanting to work upon his terrors on the one hand, while the task of subsequently playiug upon his imagination was left to me.. But you must understand, my dear uncle, it never was anticipated that you would be the Prince’s companion on that occa-ion: nor was [ made aware that such was the fact until afterwards. You may couceive how horrified were my feelings then, on learning not only that you had been made a victim of an out- rage which must have filled you with alarm, but that Dysart himself had plundered you of your property and compelled you to surrender up your pocket-boolk for the purpose of subsequent ran- som.” “Poor Ernestina!” exclaimed the nobleman, “Tittle did I amagine that your graceless husband was the chief of that gang of desperadoes. But as I had never previously spoken to Dysart in my life, I of course did not recognise his voice on that occasion. Then the next step, I suppose, was to compel you to visit me on the ensuing Wednesday —last Wednesday—to obtain the ransom-money for the pocket-book ?” “My husband menaced me in the most terrible manner,” replied Ernestina, “and compelled me to do his will in that respect. He cared not how IL con- ducted the delicate transaction so long as I suc- ceeded in accomplishing it; and you may imagine the extent of my joy and gratitude when the appeal which I made to your bounty in this room was met by the gift of the very sum that L was bound to take back to wy unpriueipled husband. During your temporary ubsence from the apartment, L ~ eee eee ew me i ee ee a two thousand guineas which I was necessitated to take back to Dysart, I should have besought you to present me with that amount.” “How strangely is all the mystery unravelling itself!” cried the nobleman. “You cannot con- ceive my astonishment on discovering the pocket- book in that vase! Not for an instant did my suspicions settle upon you, Ernestina. Would to God that I had never been told otherwise, but the affair had remained enveloped in mystery !” “ Ah! now you hate—despise—and abhor me!” exclaimed Ernestina, bursting into tears. “Oh! I am miserable—most miserable !’’ “Console yourself, my darling niece!’ cried Lord Leveson, more affected than he had been for many, many years. “Had I done my duty to- wards you—had I compelled you to leave that villain Dysart and return home to me—all this would not have happened !” “ You have no cause for ¢self.-reproach, my dear uncle,” said Lady Ernestina Dysart, wiping her eyes. “You have more than once besought me to leave him—you have a hundred times assured me that your dwelling was always my home when- ever I might choose to make it so! But I have been infatuated with that man: and more- over Ps ' But she suddenly checked herself and stopped short in confusion and embarrassment, as she felt that her recollections were hurrying her upon most delicate ground. «Ah! you have some other secret, which is as yet unexplained, Ernestina!” cried the Marquis, gazing 1utently upon her. “Tell me what is passing in your mind: tell me also how it is that Dysart has obtained such an extraordinary empire over you as to be able to push you onward inte such courses as those which you have already de- tailed! Mere threats and menaces alone could not wield so despotic an influence over a mind so powerful as your’s. . Besides, you have long ceased ‘to love Dysart—I know you have! It is impossible that you could continue a victim to that infatua- tion which first made you fling yourself away upon such aman. His treatment of you—his unp inci- pled character—hbis dissipated habits—and then that duel which almost stamped him as a mur- derer, must have crushed your affections and turned your love into loathing. There must con- sequently be some other cause for that power which he exercises over you? Come—be explicit, Ernestina:: it is necessary that I should learn every circumstance, even the slightest, of that po- sition in which you are placed—or else how shall I be able to extricate you completely from the toils in which Dysart has enmeshed you?” “ Byery fresh explanation which I am now called upon to give,” said Ernestina, her countenance onee more becoming scarlet, “is only an addition to the tale of my own infamy. Know, then,” she continued, in a voice that was scarcely audible, and with downeast looks, “that I loved another —.1 was criminal—and my husband detected me-—— “ Enough, Ernestina!” ejaculated the Marquis. “J comprehend it all now!” But he did not, however, understand the whole TMUCOOOLKS