The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 361: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 355 the certainty that she gave the information against you to the Commissioners of Police—and now this occurrence will only embitter her ten thousand times more virulently against you—aye, ten thou- sand, thousand times !” The Duke looked very hard and very signifi- cantly at Madame Angelique,—who returned his gaze, but evidently at first with only a vague and uncertain idea of what he meant, until the deepen- ing shade upon his countenance, ominous and scowling, gradually excited within her a notion of what was dwelling in his mind. She flung a half- frightened glance around, as if to assure herself that there were no listeners to their discourse; and then she said in a half-hushed voice, “ Ex- plain yourself, my lord—tell me candidly what you mean.” “7 mean, Madame Angelique,’ he responded, likewise in a low subdued tone, “that the Lady Indora must be made away with by some means or another—whether Sagoonah will accomplish the deed or not.” Madame Angelique reflected profoundly for several minutes,—her looks being bent down the while; and then she said, “ But how, my lord? Sagoonah vowed that she would attempt nothing more as long as that girl Christina was beneath her roof; and you see how signally the plan for removing her has failed.” The Duke of Marchmont now reflected in his turn: but it appeared that he could think of no new project, and was therefore compelled to fall back upon the old one—namely, of using Sagoonah, through the medium of Madame Angelique, as the instrument of that deed on the accomplishment of which he seemed so bent: for he said, “ You must see the ayah again—there is no time to be lost— and it is useless for you to start objections. Sagoonah can alone achieve that which has now become so vitally important to us both. Look you, my.dear madam !—as sure as fate, exposure and ruin will overtake you—and if you do not wish to find yourself shortly within the walls of Newgate re “ Newgate ?” echoed the infamous woman, smitten with the direst terror as that dreadful word fell upon her ears: and the look which she fixed upon the equally infamous nobleman was haggard and ghastly. ““Yes— Newgate, Madame Angelique!” re- peated the Duke impressively; “ and at least two years’ imprisonment—if not transportation to one of our horrible penal colonies—for this attempted abduction of the young lady!” “Good heavens!’ murmured the wretched woman, wringing her hands; ‘to what a pass are things coming! Yes, yes—I must see Sagoonah again—I must ply all my arts and wiles—I must touch her upon those points where I have already found her most sensitive in a word, I must leave no stone unturned to induce her your Grace knows what I mean!” “Yes—you must see her to-morrow,” said the nobleman ; “and I conjure you to fail not if you value your own safety. I will call on Meredith on some pretext to-morrow morning early—and I shall easily ascertain ‘whether Christina be there, or whether she have gone back But no!” he exclaimed, as a thought struck him: “to give myself all this trouble were simply ridiculous, in- aamuch as you can at once obtain from the ayah precise information on the point.” The Duke and Madame Angelique continued to discuss their vile plans for another half-hour; and when Marchmont took his departure, the French- woman sought her couch. But it was long ere she could compose herself to sleep; and when slumber did at length come upon her eyes, it brought with it a succession of hideous haunting dreams. 2 CHAPTER LXvill ANOTHER PLOT. On the following day, as early as nine o’clock in the morning, Madame Angélique, disguised in mean apparel, was loitering in the neighbourhood of the Princess’s villa; and in about a quarter of an hour she was discerned by Sagoonah. The ayah—knowing that the domestics were all en- gaged indoors at the time, and that the faithful Mark was occupied in counting the numerous articles of splendid silver plate in the pantry—re- paired to the fence where she was accustomed to hold her colloquies with the Frenchwoman ; and the latter hastened towards her. “So you failed last night,” said Sagoonah, in a cold voice of contempt: “you entangled the bird in the snare, and then suffered her to escape.” “Did she return home speedily ?’ asked Madame Angelique, with feverish impatience. **'Yes—what else could she do? or what other- wise do you suppose that she would have done?” “No matter,’ rejomed Madame Angelique quickly. ‘‘ Does the Lady Indora suspect 3 “I listened,” rejoined Sagoonah, “ to the entire tale that Miss Ashton told her ladyship—I re- mained outside the door—I lost not a word—and I am convinced that her ladyship cannot do other- wise than suspect that yow were the person into whose hands Christina fell.” . “Think you that her ladyship will take pro- ceedings against me ?” asked the Frenchwoman. ““T know not,” was Sagoonah’s cold response : “IT cannot always read the Lady Indora’s thoughts.” “You see, Sagoonah,” resumed Madame An- gelique, “that I have done my best to carry off Christina—and I have failed. You must recall the vow you mude to the effect that you will at- tempt nothing more so long as she remains beneath her ladyship’s roof. Doubtless you have still the same motive yes, you must have—your feeling of rancour against your mistress is still the same -—and now you have an additional interest in re- moving her as speedily as possible from your path.” ‘An additional interest ?”’ said Sagoonah, with a slight tincture of curiosity in her accents: and then she coldly added, “I do not understand you.” “T can speedily explain myself,’ rejoined Madame Angelique ; “and I think I can show you that your interests are now mixed up with my own.” A. smile of superb contempt curled the thin vermilion lips of the ayah; and she said, as if ee SS hs srry ts (C(O) nn) (C 6)(0)(0) KS (C(O)