The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

>= ee ee CC THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 239 himself for having allowed the incident to operate | as an omen or a presage: and he murmured half aioud, “The domestic who brought those books, could not possibly be aware whether my captivity is destined to last days or years !” Then, with characteristic courage, Loftus con- jured up every possible reflection of a soothing, hopeful, or consolatory nature. In the evening the domestic reappeared, with the prisoner’s supper, which also consisted of several dishes and a liberal supply of wine. Candles were furnished without restriction as to the period of their use—so that Loftus could burn them throughout the night if he felt disposed. In the morning the breakfast that was served up to him was as copious as the other meals: and when he had partaken of the repast, an old woman was introduced by the domestic to make the bed and sweep out the room—during which process, Jocelyn was permitted to walk up and down the long dark passage outside. We have now afforded an idea of the routine of Jocelyn’s first day at the Prefecture—and thence an estimate may be drawn of the monotonous nature of his imprisonment during the month which we must suppose to have elapsed since the date of his arrest. It will however be seen that he was treated at the Prefecture of Police with as much consideration as was compatible with the circumstances of personal restraint. But was he happy? Far—very far from that! His natural courage, noble fortitude, and elevated spirit enabled him to bear up as well as the most heroic of men could do, against the misfortune which had over- taken him: but still there were moments when he could scarcely restrain an outburst of bitter anguish, as he thought of his much-loved and far- off Louisa! What could she think of a silence so unaccountable and an absence so prolonged ?— must she not either believe him false, or else that some terrible calamity had befallen him? In either case, he pictured to himself all the anguish which that charming creature was thus doomed to endure: and it went to his soul to reflect that so young, so lovely, and so affectionate a being should be plunged into such deep distress. On several occasions he had written a letter to the Prefect, beseeching that any correspondence which should have arrived for him at Meurice’s Hotel or at the General Post Office of Paris, might be given up to him: but the verbal answer which the reserved domestic invariably brought back, was to the effect, “that no communications had been re- ceived at all, at either place, addressed to Mr. Jocelyn Loftus.” These announcements the young gentleman knew full well to be false: for he was convinced that Louisa would have unweariedly and incessantly written letter after letter, craving, im- poring, and beseeching a response ;—and it was theretore with as much bitterness of spirit as indig- nation of feeling, that Loftus came to the conclusion that the same arbitrary police power which had violated the sanctity of his private papers on the day of his arrest, had likewise taken possession of all correspondence that had subsequently arrived for him from England. Our young hero’s state of mind was not therefore very felicitous: and a month had thus passed in deep uncertainties, varying excitements, and per- plexing anxieties, — ae ee ee ee + ee One night Jocelyn had retired to rest earlier than usual: for his health had begun to fail him in the close captivity of that chamber—and moreover he had been giving way with a very painful inten- sity to the poignancy of his thoughts during the evening, The clocks in the thousand towers of the sovereign city of France were proclaiming the hour of nine, when having extinguished the light, Joce- lyn thus sought his couch, exhausted alike in mind and body. A deep slumber fell upon him: and he was gradually borne into the elysian mazes of a de- licious dream. He fancied that he was sleeping on a splendid sofa in a magnificently-furnished apartment :— he thought he saw himself thus reclining ful) dressed, as if it were in the day-time that he had lain down in this manner to rest fora short while. The saloon to which imagination had thus wafted him, was flooded with a golden light—a more than earthly radiance that penetrated throughout—a celestial lustre that rendered each nook and corner as clear and shadowless as the centre of the room itself. And now, in the midst of that transcendent glow, it appeared to Jocelyn as if angels were passing through the ambrosial air—-beauteous forms dis- playing a lithe and slender symmetry in the scant azure drapery that floated with the grace which no sculptural skill could ever illustrate in the massive marble! Some of these empyrean beings were crowned with stars: others bore lutes which seemed to send forth a delicious music, realizing the sweet superstition of the harmony of the spheres ;—while ethers, again, carried garlands of flowers in their hands, or scattered wreaths and posies through the translucent atmosphere. But as the celestial train swept past, every angelic countenance was bent with an expression of sweet encouragement and smiling hopefulness upon the sleeping form of Jocelyn; and as he slowly awoke from this delicious dream, while the glory of the vision itself faded slowly and gradually away from his mental perception, he could not help thinking that it was an intimation sent from heaven to cheer his soul, While in the fervour of his grateful piety he was silently breathing a prayer to his Maker, he was suddenly startled by a singular noise which seemed to come from within the wainscotting of the aleove or recess that contained the couch whereon he lay. He listened: the noise ceased— he concluded that he had been mistaken—and he endeavoured to compose himself to slumber again. But just as his eyelids were closing beneath the bat-like wing of drowsiness, that strange sound was repeated. . He started up—held his breath—and listened more attentively than at first. ‘‘he noise was like that of some one endeavouring to pierce through ees ee a re ee ee er the masonry by means of an instrument that © worked tediously in a stealthy, scraping manner, | rather than with a boldsess which cared not for discovery. The thought instantly struck Jocelyn that some prisoner in the next apartment was en- deavouring to escape: and this idea thrilled with a sensation of joy to his heart,—for the same means which could afford the hope of flight to a fellow-captive, would avail also for himself. The noise continued—and Jocelyn was on the point of knocking gently in order to lead the midividual, whoever it might be, into conversation —supposing that a sufficient depth of excavation —— SS —— ——_— me we +e ee COnnicoooks (CO)