The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 197 numerous deaths, as well as frightful i injuries, mu- tilations, and ‘contusions, ‘were’ the consequence. The genvieniar whom ‘Lettice found ‘bending over her, was‘a surgeon whe happened to' be’ in the ill-fated train ;:and“as he was unhurt, he “had rendered all:possible assistance to those passengers who; though escaping death, were ‘otherwise less fortunate than himself. Leétticd had’been merely stunnéd by the. first’ shock of ‘the accident: shé was in all other respects completély uninjured ; and in afew rinutes after her retur to conseioudi ness;°she was enabled to rise and move about. The scene'which presented itself to her ‘contem- plation, was a frightful ‘and asad’ one; ’ ‘The line was encumbered’ in one- part with*the’overturned carriages--and in another strown with the*frag- ments of the shattered ones: Boxes, trunks, and _ portmantedux: were heaped ' pell-mell together, some having’ been» broken open’'by'the:‘fall, ard the articles:of apparél; both male and female, all cast out and mixed ‘together. | On the slope of the embankment several wourdded persons ‘lay 'here and theres .and in anether:'part there: was’ a horrible array of mutilated and disfigured: corpses: As the eyes! of Lettiee: wandered: over! this fearful grouping of the: dead‘ her heart sickened within her; and'she felt her brain reel, on eatching sight of: the’ apparel of cher! travelling: companion}. ‘the unfortunate Mrs. Rayner. | Yes—but it was' only | by |the: raiment -that ‘the deceased ‘could be thus recognised; forher countenance’ was' 80’ horribly disfigured that scarcely a lineament, much less’a trace-of its: former’ beauty, remainéd. | Lettice— though, as the reader 1s aware, far from possessing any extreme sensibility—was nevertheless ‘shocked and horrified at this-tragic occurrence which’ had thus cut off: an ‘amiable jady'in the~ bloom of ‘her youth-ag wellas in»the'early:summer of her ‘beauty, and ‘at the very time she was: on her: way to re- ceive: the: inheritance | bequeathed by her’ parents. Lettice staggered back as ‘she averted: her ‘eyes from the shocking: spectacle, ‘and’ would have fallen if she had! not been edught in the arms-ef: ‘the surgeon who was still near'her, © =)0'0 ‘| Those. who shave been: wnfortunhte: enovigh to witness @:‘terrifie railway ‘accident,’ are ‘but: too painfully aware of the dread eonfusion’ which -is guperadded: to the horror of ‘the seane ; and those who have been happy: enough! to! estape'-such a Spectacle, may » nevertheless: grasp with «their imagination the full-range’ of ifs supérvening’ cir- cumstances,: The moans of the ' wounded: ‘sufferers aningling with::the: shrieks,': the eries,’‘and ‘the lamentations ‘of: relatives who: baye survived ‘the dead+the! hurrying :to.and fro ofhalf-dismayed -officials—the. process -ef \disencumberme the line as speedily as: possible-—and the flockinP of horrified spersons to. the spot; when the accident occurs: in the.close vicinage of a town)—these:are the salient ‘characteristics: of -the . seéne'' folldwing upon” the: appalling drama. »And-so:it all: was:on the: pre- ‘Sent-occasion.:«' But itdoes not suit the purpose: of our tale to.dwell at-any greaterilength thereon; -suffice it’ to say that: the-surgeon who: had-hitherto ‘shown-80 much attention to Lettice Rodney, now advised. her,to enter ‘one of the: vehicles which were by this. time- near. the ;spot, and proceed to othe. town which: was ‘at.no preat distance.:. He assured her that, she must:not think of continuing | own: but when she perceived that 'thé'formeér were cher journey until the morrow ;' for: — at: —— a | all marked with Po ie Ti Ri-sho' ‘beheld the Igaiviviblis tin enw aiuild itn » SAU LAAA nd suit sins jail oil ‘ 24 GIGLI Ba edi sil GouosnE oto good “night? s rest was requisite after the shock- which she had experienced, and which, unless she was careful, might bé followed by ‘eOncassion of the brain.’ ‘She did indeed feel like’one ‘bewildered and whose ‘thoughts’ were all in ‘confusion.’ The medical man was kind and attentive: he gave’ her his arm,’and conducted’ her towards ‘the’ piles’ of luggage that she might’ select her‘ own! boxes: Here again was'a fresh ‘source ‘of bewilderment for''Lettice Rodney: ‘for she ‘beheld ‘some’ ‘of ‘her own dresses ‘and other articles of apparel scattered about. ‘The surgeon assisted*her to separate’ therh from the 'rest with’ which they were mixed wp} and’ on‘learning from her 'what' her’ name‘ was, ‘lie took the’ trouble’ ‘to: ‘search’ for’ everything whith was’ marked’ with’ ‘the ‘initials’ 'L. ‘R. ' In’ short; after much trouble; perplexity, and confusion, the good-natured surgeon ‘succeeded in ‘filling’ a edteple of ‘boxes'the lids'of which were broken‘off, with those effects'which Lettice had éither been enabled to point’ out, or which. he! himself ‘conceived? ‘to belong’ to het fromthe indications “already men: tioned: then; having seen’ ‘her afe’into'a vehicle} together with: her baggage, he took ‘his leave,— hastening ‘toi render’ ‘his’ eel to ee ‘neat sufferer ‘who required it. | ch >” Lettice Rodney was’ bbenl to the prtadpat hotel in the town ‘near to’ the ‘spot’ where: the’ accident occurred ; and feeling: exceedingly! unwell; she at oned retired to bed.) It’ was not°wntiF the: third day after the accidént-that the €ffects*of 'the ‘shock began to wear off. ° It had’ been “followed; as! the medical ‘man more~ than ‘ half‘ predicted; by slight concussion, evidenced ina certain’ ringing inthe ears and a continuous: droning sound inithe* brain, as well as by heaviness of the: head’ and’ coufddidn of the thoughts. -' During these ‘three! days, tlere- fore, Lettice kept her’béd, and’ was attended wpon by # surgéom living in the town: * When ‘however she began 'toiget better, she: felt’ anxious’to' leart some particulars’as to’ the ‘results of ‘the’ 4ecident*; and ‘a local ‘newspaper ‘was accordingly furnished her. ‘The: particulars of: ‘the tragic octurrence itself, as well ‘as of! the ‘proceedings’ before’ ‘the Coroner; were piven with the wonted mninuteness of detail’; and in perusing’ the‘sad ‘narrative; Lettics observed that the names’ of all the’ killed’ ‘weré given with: the exception of’ ond lady,’-who' was represented 'as being ‘altogether unknown! It.aps peared, indeed, that she‘had no card:case witht her nor about: “het person’ was’ ther: diseovered' any letter er -dther document’ affording ‘the ‘slightest clue to the establishment of her identity. Now,;as the name of Mrs. Rayner was altogether omitted from the list of killed;-Lettice Rodney at once comprehended that it was this very name which ought to faliup ‘the Blank left in thé-shdl-tatalogue, and that the unknown lady thus described was none other than her travelling-companion ! Lettice was making up her mind to give this information to thé landlord of the hotel,or to tie surgeon who was attending upow her, witht a. view to ‘have-it conveyed to the’ proper’ quarter,Lowhéh she began ‘the inspection of’ her trunke’for the first ‘time since ‘she’ became ‘an. inmate ofthat: hotel. ‘articles: of ‘linen’ which ‘did not ‘belong: 'to'her, She now discovered’ that’ there’ was #'variety'of — mixed up with those effects which weré really-her | 2( G(0) nn) Cc 0)(0)(0) SS (C(O)