The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

36 are another’s! O Eliza, you know not how much I was indebted to that love of your’s. I never told you the truth before: I will tell it to you now. I was plunging headlong into the vortex of dissipation—I was weakly and shamefully suf- fering myself to be led on into vicious pleasures and the ways of extravagance, when you suddenly appeared in my path, clothed with all the bright- ness and the sweetness of a guardian angel. I loved you—you loved me in return; and it was that delicious love of your’s which made me an altered being. From that moment my existence has been one of purity and honour; and I can look the world in the face without being conscious of aught to raise up a blush to my cheeks. It was you who did this, Eliza—you who saved me! How much therefore do I owe you!—with what grateful recollections is my love intertwined! -Think you, then, that a love which is so blended with gratitude, can easily endure disappointment ? No, Eliza—no. You are dearer to me than life ; and to-morrow, when we separate, it will be for me like parting from that very life itself!” “© Bertram, what can I say—what can I do, to comfort you?” murmured the almost heart- broken Eliza, as the tears rained down her cheeks and her bosom was convulsed with sobs. “What can you do—what can you say, Eliza? Nothing, nothing! There is but one thing—+ No, no—I dare not mention it: I will not entice you from your husband! But to leave you with him, is to condemn myself to a life of horror—or else to cut it short and perish in the blood of a distracted suicide !” “ Bertram,” shrieked Eliza wildly ; “recall those dreadful words. Oh, recall them, I implore you! For my sake—for all the love I bear you “4 “Oh, to hear you speak thus of your love,” cried the impetuous and impassioned Bertram, “is the revival of joy ineffable !”—and obedient to the impulse of the moment, he caught Eliza in his arms—he strained her to his breast. At that instant a cry so wild and savage that it resembled that of a ferocious hyena, smote on the ears of Bertram and the Duchess; and start- ing from each other’s embrace, they flung their terrified looks around. Those looks encountered the Duke, who was just emerging from a shady avenue. Emerging !—no, he was rushing on with the mad fury of the wild beast whose cry his own had resembled; and Eliza, with a half stifled moan of soul-crushed agony, dropped senseless upon the ground. All in an instant the spectacle of the rabidly advancing Duke vanished from Bertram’s gaze: he beheld only the inanimate form of the beloved Eliza. He raised her in his arms: kneel- ing upon the ground, he supported her against his breast: he besought her in passionate accents to open her eyes and to look upon him. ‘Leave her, sir!” thundered the voice of the Duke: “leave her, sir! Begone—depart. hence, execrable villain that you are !” “Hear me, uncle—hear me, I conjure you!” exclaimed Vivian, a prey to such wild and tor- turing feelings as no pen can describe. “If not for my sake, at least for her’s-——” “ Begone, sir!” again thundered forth the Duke : and rushing forward, he violently tore the still inanimate form of his wife from Bertram’s arms. At this instant it happened that two of the THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. female-servants, having been to some other part of the grounds, appeared upon the spot, to which they were attracted by the fierce and thundering ejaculations of their ducal master. They were astounded at what they beheld,—that master tearing away his wife from the arms of Bertram Vivian—the Duchess insensible—Bertram himself pale and quivering with excitement! “Bear your mistress to the house,’ said the Duke sternly; “and consign her to the care of her maids,” The two female domestics hastened to obey the instructions thus given them; and as they bore away the inanimate form of Eliza, the Duke turned to follow. “Uncle, for God’s sake hear me!” cried Ber- tram, in a voice of most imploring agony, as he caught the Duke by the arm. “‘ Not a word, sir—not a single word!” vocife- rated the furious husband: and in his mad rage he struck his nephew a violent blow upon the temple. The young man’s countenance became crimson, —turning all in a moment from the whiteness of a sheet to the hue of a peony; and his first im- pulse was to avenge the blow. But not more quickly flashes the lightning through the air, than did the recollection glance in unto Bertram’s mind that it was his uncle—a much older man than himself—who had thus struck him: and turning abruptly away, he rushed madly along the avenue. At the extremity thereof he encountered his brother, Lord Clandon. “ Bertram! for heaven’s sake what is the matter ?”’ exclaimed Hugh, with an air of amaze- ment at his brother’s fearfully excited looks and frenzied pace. “Hugh,” cried Bertram, stopping suddenly short, and addressing Lord Clandon in broken sentences; ‘something terrible has happened— terrible, terrible! Our uncle believes that Eliza is guilty For God’s sake go to him! assure him that on the oath of one who never yet was convicted of falsehood, she is innocent! Dearest, dearest brother, save poor Eliza—save her, for God’s sake !—no matter what may happen to me !”” “ But what has occurred, Bertram? Tell me! speak ! You know that I will do anything I can to serve you A “ The tale is too long to tell,” hastily responded the younger brother; “and every moment is pre- cious—precious as life itself! Go quick—see the Duke—swear to him that his wife is innocent! Go, Hugh—go, I beseech you!” “But where can I see you again?” asked Lord Clandon quickly. “It is evident that you are in a state of excitement ” “See me?” ejaculated Bertram, as if for a mo- ment scarcely comprehending the question. ‘‘ Yes, yes—I must see you again—I must receive the as- surance that the Duke is satisfied! Where shail we meet? I dare not return Come to me presently at the village-tavern : I will await you there.” “ Be it so,” rejoined Clandon rapidly. “I will do my best :”—and he hurried towards the man- sion: while Bertram Vivian pursued his own frenzied, distracted course in the direction of the village about a mile distant. Gomichdoo <S (C(O)