The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 382: what you’re looking at

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See Ne ee en Te ee a ome eee ‘ i was desperate so far as her mistress was concerned, but that on the other she longed to wreak her yengeance upon the Earl himself for having dis- covered his wife’s perfidy. The noblemau was too proud to reiterate his proposals toa girl who gave him no encourage- ment to do so; and he was about to quit the boudoir, when he suddenly recollected that Ger- trude might steal out of the house and warn Editha of what was in store for her—thereby preparing her to meet a storm which the Earl was desirous should burst with overwhelming suddenness upon her head. Accordingly, throwing another signifi - cant glance upon the abigail, he said with a cold irony, “Since you are so fond of personating your mistress with regard to her dress, Gertrude, you may now occupy her place in this boudoir till the morning: for IL suppose that she purposes to re- main abroad all night.” Waving thus spoken, the Earl of Curzon stalked out of the room, locking the door and taking the key with him. CHAPTER XCVII. INTREPIDITY. WueEn thus left alone, Gertrude stood gazing in dull vacancy for some moments upon the writing- desk which had furnished the proofs of Editha’s criminality. Slowly awakening from this stupor of mingled dread and dismay, the abigail began to lay aside the splendid apparel in which she was deco- rated. Depositing the pearls and the ornaments upon the toilette table, she put off the amber- coloured robe, and then negligently and irresolutely began to comb out her long dark hair. But it was evident that she was revolving some idea in her mind, and that whether she should retire to rest or carry out this idea constituted the indeci- sion in which she was hovering. Laying down the comb, she seated herself upon a sofa; and support- ing her well-shaped head upon her really beautiful hand, she began seriously to deliberate upon the risks and chances of the project which every mo- ment was becoming more firmly settled in her mind. Her naturally mischievous eyes were now full ofa serious expression,—while her cherry lips became compressed with the firmness which is characteristic of a heroine. It was evident that she was revolving some desperate or dangerous scheme: and indeed, if she were just now over ready to yield up her honour in the hope of diverting the Earl’s attention from the proceedings of the Countess, she was now as devotedly resolving to risk her life in order to serve that mistress whom she loved so well ! Suddenly starting from her recumbent posture and from her deep reverie, she glanced towards the time-piece which stood upon the mantle; but that clock had stopped, and she knew not what hour it was. But calculating that it was about one o'clock when she had returned from Lady Lech- mere’s—that the scene with the Earl had occupied half-an-hour—and that a similar interval had elapsed since his departure from the room, she argued that it must now be two o’clock in the morn- ing. Her calculation as to the time was by no means a trivial thing, even in the midst of the im- THK MYSTERIES OF TIE COURT. portant considerations that were crowding through her mind. The fact was that the watchman of the district invariably passed along Grosvenor Street about ten minutes past every hour throughout the night; and the project which the venturous damsel had in view, could not very well be carried out with success if the aforesaid nocturnal guardian hap- pened to be in the neighbourhood at the time. Supposing it, therefore, to be about two o’clock, she reckoned that if she let twenty minutes pass, she would be ensuring the safety of her scheme: ee se ee + ee and winding up the time-piece. she set it going. | She now opened the drawers—took forth all the © splendid cachmere shawls and the strongest satin scarves belonging to her mistress—and these she rolled up lengthwise into the form of a rope, fast- ening them together. Remorselessly and unhesi- tatingly did she thus treat those handsome articles of apparel which in the aggregate cost hundreds of guineas—twisting and knotting them just as ruthlessly as if they were old rags: but then she had in view a certain project the success of which was a matter outweighing the price of all the finery in the world! In this manner full twenty minutes were passed; and then the damsel prepared to carry her bold design into execution. First she pushed a heavy chest of drawers up against the window; and com- ee pletely round this ponderous piece of furniture did | she pass the rope which she had made, not fasten- ing it, but allowing it to run loosely as if over the wheel of a pulley. Then, against the chest of drawers she placed the sofa, a great arm-chair, and other things to keep it firm and steady ;—and all this being done, she returned again to the ran- sacking of her mistress’s wardrobe. But this time it was for some fitting garment to put on. En- veloping herself in the darkest coloured cloak she could find, and selecting the simplest straw-bonnet that presented itself, she now entered upon the crowning act of this night’s strange drama. Gently opening the lower part of the window, she listened for a few moments—and no sound of human voice nor footfall reached her ears. ‘Then she peeped forth—and by the mingled moon-light and lamp-light she was enabled to assure herself that the street was entirely deserted. All was still: not a light was even visible at any opposite window. Now, then, was the moment—now the opportunity. Nor did the heroic Gertrude shrink from the danger of her self-imposed task—appal- ling though that peril must have seemed to be, notwithstanding the marvellous intrepidity of her soul. Having extinguished the light in the boudoir, she flung forth the rope in such a manner that it was doubled, both ends descending towards the pavement below: she then passed out of the win- dow—and firmly clutching the double rope in both hands, while her feet clung to it also, she began to lower herself with amazing presence of mind. But scarcely had she thus commenced her fearful de- scent, when the straw-bounet flew from her head and the cloak became detached from her person,— thus leaving her in a state of semi-nudity and her hair all flowing wildly. ‘The slanting moon- beams ot silver played upon the countenance that ex- pressed all the decision of a heroine—upon the bare bosom which remained upheaved with a strong feeliug of suspense—and ou the naked arms, so Se i -QIroOo_._ -_——_——_ hh Cl eee 0)(0)(6) COMMUC S (Eo)