The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

Ad dressed at Oaklands. Leachley, the Duke’s valet, reported that his master had not as yet returned; and expressions of uneasiness passed from lip to lip. Several domestics meeting each other in the ball, were about to decide in which different directions they should issue forth—not merely in search of their lost mistress, but now likewise in search of their master also, —when a strange sound, like a low continuous moaning howl, coming from without, reached their ears. None of the doors of the mansion had as yet been opened: the hall-porter, an old man, having sat up so late, had overslept himself. The domestics listened—the sounds continued—and in a few mo- ments they were interrupted by a bark, but low and feeble as the moaning howl itself had been. “Tt is a dog!” ejaculated one. “Tt is Pluto, I am almost certain!” cried an- other. “Let us get the keys from the porter,” ex- claimed a third: and a general excitement pre- vailed; for the idea had arisen simultaneously in every mind that there was something wrong—but what it was, no one could conceive, and no conjec- ture was volunteered. The keys were procured from the hall-porter’s room: the front door was opened—and Pluto crawled painfully into the hall. He was feebly wagging his tail, as if in satisfaction at having thus obtained admittance at last: but he was bloodstained in several places—and his eyes, usually so bright and intelligent, were glazing as if in death. He carried something in his mouth ; and on creeping into the hall, he did not sink down, though evidently in an exhausted, if not a dying state—but dragged himself painfully from the feet of one domestic to another. He looked up at each too, in a sort of piteously entreating manner: it was evident that if the faithful and intelligent animal had the power of speech, he would have told some tale. “The poor dog has been wounded,” ejaculated several voices; and looks of horror were ex- changed: for the previous misgiving which had smitten the domestics, appeared all in a moment to have strengthened into the conviction that there had been some accident or foul play during the past night, and of which the master was the victim :—else wherefore had the dog come back alone? “ But what has he in his mouth ?” asked one. At this moment Lord Clandon, followed by Travers, made his appearance in the hall. “Good heavens! what is the matter?” he ex- claimed, the instant he caught sight of the wounded dog, who now sank down in utter ex- haustion, its eyes closing apparently in death. “Where is the Duke?” inquired Clandon, as if smitten with the same terrible idea that had already seized upon the domestics. “Oh! my lord, we know not,” responded Leach- ley in a mournful voice: “but we dread 7 “What? the Duke has not returned!’ ejacu- lated Clandon. “Oh, my poor uncle !’—and he seemed violently affected. “But what is that which has fallen from Pluto’s mouth ?” “Tt is a piece of cloth,’ said one of the ser- vants, stooping down and picking it up. “ Ah! evidently torn out of a coat,” ejaculated another. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “* Good heavens, what does all this mean?” ex- claimed a third. “Something dreadful, I fear,” added Leachley, with a shudder. “Disperse yourselves in every direction!” ex- claimed Lord Clandon, powerfully excited. “I will take horse and gallop along the main roads. Travers Travers, I say! Why, the fellow was here a few moments back!” Travers was not however in the hall at this moment: and Lord Clandon hastened up to his own chamber, where he found his valet. The orders he had given to the servants were promptly obeyed: for they scattered themselves in every direction—some singly, others going two to- gether. A horse was presently saddled for the use of Lord Clandon, who was speedily ready to avail himself of it. The butler and Leachley, the Duke’s own valet, went together on the exciting expedition; and they took thg road leading to that hamlet which the Duke ha€set out to visit, as he had stated to the domestics in the middle of the night. It was, as already stated, two miles distant from the man- sion; but Leachley and the butler had not pro- ceeded above a few hundred yards, when they heard a dragging noise and a panting, gasping, moaning sound behind. They turned—and beheld the wounded dog. The poor animal, having been forgotten in the hall when the domestics dispersed in such excitement at Lord Clandon’s bidding, had dragged himself forth—for he was not quite so near death as his exhausted condition and glazing eyes had seemed to indicate.’ “Poor Pluto,” said Leachley, caressing the faith- ful dog. “See how he looks up,” exclaimed the butler, “as if asking us to come on.” “Yes—there is some meaning in those eyes—in those half moaning, half howling sounds!” ‘Let us speed onward,” said the butler. The dog now kept in advance: it appeared as if he acquired strength as he went on—as if he were conscious of having some special task to perform, for which all his best energies were put forth. But still continued that prolonged wailing howl—that lugubrious moan which sounded ominous as a death-knell itself on the ears of the butler and Leachley. On they went—and in proportion as they ad- vanced, Pluto’s pace quickened—his moan became more rueful—he kept looking up at the two do- mestics, as if entreating them to follow on still and not go back. They themselves experienced the appalled sense of men who felt that every step they took was bringing them nearer and nearer to the solution of some horrible mystery. Presently Pluto dashed forward, round a bend in the road— looked back for an instant to see whether the men were following kim—and then disappeared from their view. But a few instants brougkt the butler and Leachley round that bend—and they at once descried a dark object on the edge of a pond by the road side. Pluto, moaning and whining with all the plaintiveness of a human voice, was crouch- ing near that object. A few instants more—and the two domestics reached the spot. Then what a frightful spectacle met their view! Their master, the Duke of Marchmont, lay dead before their -_ (CORMNICLOOOKS (C©) | | 7