The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 288: what you’re looking at

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282 losing rank—position—fortune P Did you not therefore say to yourself that you would for ever silence the lips that alone could tell the tale: for you knew that mine were already sealed by that guilty love which had subsisted between us!” “If I have listened to you in silence,’ responded Adolphts, “it is not that my blood has ceased to boil with indignant impatience. Ethel, Ethel, it is you who thus with a detestable dissimulation persevere in attributing the crime to me !—it is you, I say, who hope to make me fancy that you realiy did not perpetrate that crime! You speak of motives:—yow had every motive! Think you that I comprehend not the terrific jealousy which swayed your heart when I spoke of wedding Isa- bella? Ah, confess that it was through love of me you did this deed!—confess it, Ethel, and I will pardon you but for heaven’s sake perse- vere not in ascribing it unto me!” “T also, Adolphus, have curbed my impatience,” answered the Countess, “that I might give youa fair chance for retractation, confession, and atone- ment:—but you are obstinate! Now listen. We will not blind our eyes to the fact that the crime rests between us two: for no other living being had a motive in perpetrating it. It was therefore I or you who committed it and you know, Adolphus, that it was yourself!” “Ab, Ethel! you have indeed said truly,” he exclaimed, “that it lies between us two: but you will not look me much longer in the face and with such astounding dissimulation deny that all the guilt was wholly and solely yours !” The Countess literally ground her teeth with rage; and then she muttered in a voice that was hoarse with the same feeling, “ Miscreant, you know that you are a murderer !” ‘No, fiend in female shape! it is you who are a murderess !’”—and having thus spoken, the Earl of Lascelles walked abruptly forth from the room. The Countess flung herself upon the sofa, and gave way to bitterest weeping and most convulsing SUDS. THE MYSTERIES CHAPTER LIII. CHRISTINA AND THE AYAQH, THREE weeks had elapsed since the visit which Madame Angelique paid to the Princess Indora; and the oriental lady had not.as yet carried her project into execution with regard to Oaklands. The Duke of Marchmont had been suddenly called out of town on some particular business ; and thus Madame Angelique had found no opportunity of communicating with him. She had written a note to this effect to the Princess Indora, at the same time that she sent home the European costumes which her Highness had ordered. Three weeks, too, had elapsed since that visit which Christina paid to Zoe, and when she had every reason to believe that this amiable lady sus- pected the passion which her husband cherished for our heroine. Christina had been very un- happy since that date: but she had endeavoured to conceal her feelings as much as possible from the Princess,—though the latter on three or four OF THE COURT. occasions kindly questioned her whether she had not something which troubled her mind? Chris- tina gave evasive responses; and these tended to confirm Indora’s suspicion that her young friend was not altogether happy. Accordingly, one day when they were seated to- gether in the elegantly furnished drawing-room, the Princess said in a gentle voice, and with a look Of the most benevolent sympathy, “ I am afraid, my dear Christina, that you have something which is preying upon your mind? If it be so, tell me —hesitate not to make a confidante of me. I am your friend—I love you—and I wish you well.” *T am deeply grateful to your ladyship,” an- swered Christina, “ for the many, many kindnesses which I experience at your hands: I have every reason to be happy beneath your roof = “Perhaps you miss the society in which you were wont to mingle when at Lady Octavian Meredith’s ? Here it must be dull for you a * Oh, no—far from it!” exclaimed Christina, hoping to divert the conversation into some other channel. “I love the lite which I am leading here 4 “1 know that you always speak with sincerity,” observed the Princess; “and therefore my mind is at ease on that point. Indeed,” she added, with a smile, “ your time is well occupied—for you make occupation for yourself. It is exceedingly kind of you to take so much pains in teaching Sagoonah to read English accurately :—but are you sure that she does not take advantage of your kindness ?” “Oh, no, my lady!” exclaimed the amiable Christina. “ Sagoonah is so willing a pupil, that I experience the utmost delight in instructing her. I had not been many days in your ladyship’s house, before I saw that Sagoonah was most anxious to make herself thoroughly acquainted with the English language. She had already a very tolerable idea of my native tongue: but she wished to be able to read it—and your ladyship would be surprised, if you now heard her, at the progress she has made.” “T have no doubt of it,’ observed Indora; “for she is a young woman of remarkable intel- ligence.” At this moment the object of the conversation entered the room to make some announcement to her mistress; and those three females constituted a group which the eye of even an anchorite could not have surveyed with indifference. The Princess Indora, in her superbly picturesque garb, and with her magnificent charms, half-reclining upon the velvet cushions of the sofa—the ayah, with her darker style of loveliness, standing before her in that attitude of respectful attention which she was wont to adopt—and the youthful Christina, in- vested with that exquisite virginal beauty which rendered her a being so well calculated to excite the tenderest interest,—these three, we repeat, being thus grouped, would have formed an ad- mirable subject for the pencil of the artist. An hour after that conversation between the Princess and Christina, we shall find the latter seated in another room, in company with Sagoonah, who was engaged in the practice of her Hnglish reading. Here was another inteiresting spectacle, —that Hindoo woman, evidently exerting all her powers to render herself proficient in the task vVvVueu7 —— | CORNICLOOKS (Cc)