The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 373: what you’re looking at

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———, yo eA ee et ee Sree THZ MYSTERIES OF VAHE COURT. make in the circumstances of your position? You are not like a murderer or a felon, on whom heavy irons are pnt when he attempts to escape.” The truth of these observations forcibly struck Jocelyn Loftus; and even if he were not tho- roughly convinced of the old woman’s fidelity, he at all events resolved to allow the matter to tale its course. But to the note which he had just penned, he added the words—* Nevertheless, use the utmost caution.” The old nurse presently sallied forth with this letter; and in about an hour she returned, bear- ing a written reply which ran as follows :— ‘Your note is received; and in pursuance of your re- commendation fo wse caution, we sha!l not commit any of our plans to paper. Suffice it to say that we are neither inactive nor irresolute. Miss Clara Stanley was residing in Stratton Street when we left London a few days ago. ‘““YOUR FRIENDS OUTSIDE.” “PS.—Unless anything of importance should transpire =—such, for instance, as the postponement of your removal —it will not be necessary for ary farther communication to take place between us. We have given the old woman a hundred guineas.” It can scarcely be necessary to inform our readers that the remainder of this day and the whole of the next passed amidst much anxiety and torturing sus- pense. At one moment Jocelyn was buoyed up with exulting hope, feeling confident in the success of the plans, whatever they were, which his friends outside were conducting: at another moment his spirits drooped, as a bird plunges down from the loftiest clouds into the lowest abysses of some yawn- ing gulf—and he fancied that he was betrayed! As the hour approached for his removal from the Pre- fecture, the restlessness of his spirit amounted to a positive excruciation ; and he felt the blood coursing at a fever-pace in its crimson channels. CHAPTER XCIV. THE JOURNEY Ar ten o’clock on the night fixed for Jocelyn’s departure, the Prefect visited him, and made a last effort to induce him to sign the bond. * You see,” observed his Excellency, “what a high opinion even your very enemies have of your honour and integrity, since they are willing to permit you to go at large in the world, the pos- sessor of all their most important secrets, with no other guarantee than your simple written pledge that you will not reveal them.” “Yes,” said Jocelyn, bitterly;—they first at- tempted to destroy every sentiment of virtue and paralyse every impulse of honour within my breast —for that this was the aim in subjecting me tothe seductive wiles of the temptress Julia Owen, I cannot doubt. But having had so signal a proof that I prefer the approval of my conscience to all the blandishments of transient pleasure, and that I cherish honour as if it were a worship,—my ene- mies, as you justly style them, are now willing to trust themselves to that integrity and that sense of rectitude which they have vainly endeavoured to subvert. They know that my pledge would be my bond, and that my written promise would never be falsiticd. But that pledge and that pro- mise they will aot obtain from me!” ee a ee a ee _ — 309 These words were uttered in so firm a tone that the Prefect of Police offered no farther remon- strance and attempted no more persuasion; but coldly bowing to our young hero, he quitted the room. A few minutes afterwards the old nurse entered to take leave’ of Jocelyn; and she spoke her farewells with an air of so much sincerity that all remaining suspicions with regard to her were banished from his mind. A little before eleven Jocelyn was fetched from his room by a couple of gendarmes and conducted down to the court-yard, where a post-chaise and four appeared in readiness. The postilions were ready mounted—the lamps of the vehicle were lighted—and the moment Loftus entered, the door was banged ard the equipage rolled at a rapid rate through the gloomy gate of the Prefecture. Inside the chaise Jocelyn found himself in the companionship of two individuals. Oue of them he speedily recognised, by the light which the street-lamps shed into the carriage, as the very same police-agent who had arrested him nearly two months back at the Hotel Meurice: the other was unknown to Jocelyn, but was no doubt like- wise an Official of the Prefecture. Brith were in plain clothes ; and the first-mentioned one imme- diately addressed our hero in terms of politeness, to which a somewhat cold though sufficiently cour- teous response was given: but it was not to be suppssed that Jocelyn could feel very well in- clined to converse familiarly with any of the agents of that tyranny to which he was being subjected. On emerging from the Prefecture, the post-chaise rattled along the quays bordering the Seine; and turning into the central avenue of the Champs Elysées, took the road for St. Germain. While in the Champs Elysées, and indeed within the imme- diate precincts of the suburbs, there were so many vehicles hurrying in every direction that it was im- possible to say whether any particular one was fol- lowing the post-chaise: but when proceeding farther along the road and the open country was gained, Jocelyn listened anxiously for the sounds of any vehicle in pursuit. Forif his English friends were not thus following, how was it possible that they could accomplish his rescue? Such was the question which he asked himself a dozen times during the first half-hour that elapsed after leaving the Parisian suburbs behind: but no sounds of any vehicle in pursuit reached his ears, The weather was fine, clear and frosty: the moon sat enthroned in silver splendour amidst the deep blue of the cloudless over-arching sky, which was gemmed with myriads of stars, those chaste handmaids of the Queen of Night! The police. agents, finding that Jocelyn did not encourage them In conversation, soon sank into silence: but through the semi-obscurity which prevailed inside the vehi- cle, our hero could observe their eyes fixed upon him with the keenness of custodians whom no soothing influence could lull into slumber so long as a watch must be kept. The journey had now lasted upwards of an hour, when suddenly aman on horseback, coming from behind—that is to say, from the direction of Paris— shot past the post-chaise with incredible speed. “His horse has run away with him,” observed one of the police-agents: and as he put down the window and looked forth, the movement of his body made his coat open somewhat, and Jarelyn observed a ee ECOMICloooks (CO)