CHAPTER CXCVII.

THE MARQUIS OF DELMOUR.

On the following morning, Lord William Trevelyan called upon the

Marquis of Delmour, whom he found pacing his apartment in great

agitation.

The old nobleman had two sources of annoyance at that moment: the first

was the suspense in which he existed relative to the result of his

endeavours to regain possession of Agnes, whom he devotedly loved;--and

the other was in respect to Laura Mortimer.

He had heard from his bankers on the previous evening that the cheque

for sixty thousand pounds had been duly presented and cashed; and he

therefore concluded that the young lady had arrived in London. But why

had she not written to him? His impatience to receive a note from her

was in proportion to the madness--the intensity, of that passion with

which her transcendent loveliness and her syren witcheries had inspired

him; and his excited imagination conjured up a thousand reasons for

this silence. He fancied that some accident might have occurred to

her,--or that she had written, and her letter had miscarried; in which

case she herself would be marvelling at his tardiness in repairing

to her,--or that she had changed her mind, and repented of the

promise she had made to become the old man’s mistress. Then jealousy

took possession of his soul; and he could scarcely control within

reasonable bounds the emotions that agitated in his breast.

The arrival of Trevelyan, however, promised to relieve him of at least

one cause of suspense and anxiety; and, the moment the young nobleman

entered the apartment, the Marquis rushed precipitately forward to meet

him.

“In pursuance of my promise,” said Lord William, when the usual

compliments were interchanged, “I called upon her ladyship--Mrs.

Sefton, I mean, yesterday--and had a long interview with her.”

“And the result?” demanded, the Marquis, impatiently.

“I regret to state that, after all I heard upon the occasion, I cannot

either recommend the withdrawal of Lady Agnes from her mother’s charge,

or interfere any farther in this family matter,” responded the young

nobleman. “Mrs. Sefton will see Sir Gilbert Heathcote no more, and will

devote herself to that maternal care which she is so well qualified to

bestow upon her daughter.”

“Then, my lord,” exclaimed the Marquis, impetuously, “I shall at once

appeal to the tribunals of my country for that redress which I ought to

have demanded long ago.”

“Pardon me, my lord,” said Trevelyan, “for reminding you that there is

much to be considered ere you put this threat into execution. By giving

publicity to your unhappy family-affairs, you may to some extent act

injuriously to the welfare of your daughter.”

“True!” ejaculated the old nobleman, struck by the observation. “And

yet am I to remain quiet and tranquil beneath this additional wrong

which is thus thrust upon me by her who in law is still my wife?”

“For your daughter’s sake you must endure it--if a wrong it indeed be,”

answered Trevelyan solemnly.

“And Agnes--has she learnt the secret of her birth?--does she cling to

her mother, in preference to me?--does she devote not a single thought

to the father who has ever behaved with so much tenderness towards

her?” demanded the Marquis. “Reply, my lord, to all these questions.”

“Your daughter still believes herself to be plain Miss Agnes,” was the

answer; “and she is not taught to forget her father.”

“But what must she think of the strange circumstance, that while she

believes herself to be the bearer of her father’s name of Vernon, her

mother is known by that of Sefton?” asked the nobleman.

“She has adopted the latter name, as a natural consequence of her

restoration to the maternal parent,” was the reply; “but her pure and

artless mind cherishes not the curiosity which, in ordinary cases,

would prompt many questions relative to all these points. She imagines,

generally, that particular causes of unhappiness have led to the

separation of her parents, and that the adoption of different names was

the necessary result. For the rest, believe me that she will be well

cared for by her mother, and that she will never be tutored to think of

you otherwise than with respect and gratitude.”

“Is she happy with her mother--happier than she was in her own cottage,

under my care?” inquired the Marquis, after a long panic, during which

he seemed to reflect deeply.

“She is happy, my lord,” responded Trevelyan: “but I will not aver that

she is _happier_ than she was. She thinks of you constantly--speaks of

you often----”

“Then I will do nothing that shall interfere with her

tranquillity--nothing that shall bring into the light of publicity

those circumstances that would give her so much pain,” interrupted

the Marquis, who, though sensual, jealous, and imperious in

disposition,--though addicted to pleasures of a profligate

description,--was nevertheless characterised by many lofty feelings and

generous sentiments, as indeed the whole tenour of his conduct towards

Agnes had fully proven.

Lord William Trevelyan thanked him for the assurances which he had just

given, and shortly afterwards took his leave, highly rejoiced at the

manner in which the interview had terminated.

It must be observed that the passion which the Marquis of Delmour

had formed for Laura Mortimer and the hope which he entertained of

speedily possessing her as his mistress, had in a slight degree

diminished the intensity of his anxiety to recover Agnes; inasmuch as

his arrangements in respect to Laura had not only served to occupy his

mind--abstract his thoughts somewhat from the contemplation of the loss

of his daughter--and hold forth the promise of a solace to be derived

from the society of that lovely creature whose unaccountable silence

nevertheless tormented him sadly.

The day passed--and still no communication arrived. Let it be

remembered it was on this self-same day that Laura and the Count were

married; and it was during the following night that Mrs. Mortimer met

her dreadful death in the manner already described.

The ensuing morning found the Marquis pale, agitated, and racked by a

thousand anxious fears, amongst which jealousy was often uppermost as

he revolved in his mind all the possible reasons that could account for

the protracted silence of the young lady.

He sate down to breakfast for form’s sake--but ate nothing. Never did

his gilded saloons appear more desolate--more lonely;--and yet it was

not to them that he had contemplated bringing his beautiful mistress!

Presently the morning papers were laid upon the table; and mechanically

casting his eyes over one of them, he observed a short article, headed

“DIABOLICAL OUTRAGE AND FRIGHTFUL DEATH.”

He commenced the perusal of the account; and the apathy with which he

began, speedily changed into the most intense interest: for the article

ran thus:--

“Last night, shortly after the hour of twelve, the inhabitants of

Westbourne Place and the immediate neighbourhood were thrown into

the greatest alarm by the sudden outburst of the most dreadful

screaming, as of a female in mortal agonies. These terrific signs

of distress appeared to emanate from a narrow lane, passing by the

side of a beautiful villa in the occupation of the Count and Countess

of Carignano, who, it appears, had been married in the morning, and

had only entered their new abode immediately after the ceremony.

His lordship, attended by his valet, lost no time in descending to

the succour of the afflicted person, whoever it might be; and they

discovered an elderly lady in the agonies of death. They conveyed her

into the villa, where, to the horror of the Count and his lovely

bride, it was found that the dying woman was none other than Mrs.

Mortimer, the mother of the Countess. Medical assistance was promptly

sent for; but before the nearest surgeon could arrive death had

terminated the sufferings of the lamented lady. The horrible nature

of those sufferings can be readily understood, when, on surgical

examination, it transpired that an immense quantity of the strongest

vitriol had been thrown over her; and there were proofs that the bottle

containing the burning fluid had been broken over her head. The affair

is involved in some mystery: but it is presumed that, while repairing

to her daughter’s abode, she must have missed her way and got into

the lane, where some murderous ruffian, undeserving of the name of a

man, perpetrated the frightful outrage. Our readers may remember that

this is not the only case of the terrible use of vitriol which we have

recently been so painfully compelled to record; and, from all we can

learn, there is a monster in human shape, well known to the police,

and bearing the significant though horrible denomination of _Vitriol

Robert_--or more familiarly, _Vitriol Bob_--who has for some time

past infested the metropolis, and who makes use of the burning liquid

as an adjunct to his predatory attacks on the unwary in lone or dark

neighbourhoods. The above are all the particulars which we have been as

yet able to obtain, owing to the advanced period of the night when the

diabolical outrage was perpetrated.

This narrative, detailed with all the mannerism of an export

penny-a-liner, excited the jealous rage of the Marquis of Delmour

almost to madness.

The whole thing was as clear as daylight! The Mrs. Mortimer who had

met her death in such a dreadful way, was evidently the old woman

whom he had seen on several occasions; and she _was_, after all, the

mother of Laura! The perfidious Laura herself had become the wife of

another;--and the Marquis was compelled to open his eyes to the fact

that he had been most egregiously duped by an adventuress.

Hastily summoning his carriage, the Marquis proceeded direct to his

bankers’; where he found that the sixty thousand pounds had indeed been

paid; but, on farther inquiry, he ascertained that an old woman had

presented the cheque. The description of the recipient was then given

by the clerk who cashed the draft; and the Marquis became convinced

that she was none other than Mrs. Mortimer. The bankers perceiving that

he was anxious to learn who had actually obtained the money, produced

the cheque itself, the female’s name being written on the back in token

of acquittal; and there were the words--MARTHA MORTIMER.

In a mechanical way, and while deliberating what step next to

take, the enraged nobleman cast his eyes over the draft; when he

started convulsively--for he instantly detected the forgery, or

rather alteration, that had been effected: and then, in his furious

excitement, the principal facts of the story came out--showing how he

had been induced to give the cheque.

All was now amazement and alarm in the bank-parlour; and one of the

partners in the firm suggested the propriety of repairing immediately

to the dwelling of the Count of Carignano, for the purpose of

communicating with the Countess relative to the transaction. But the

Marquis, who by this time had grown somewhat more cool, began to

reflect that any publicity which was given to the matter would only

cover him with ridicule; and as the money was not of such consequence

to him as the avoidance of the shame attendant on the business, he

wisely resolved to hush up the whole affair.

The bankers were by no means averse to this amicable mode of

adjustment, inasmuch as it relieved them from all doubt or uncertainty,

and all possibility of dispute relative to the party on whom the loss

consequent on the forgery was to fall; and they therefore readily

consented to retain the transaction profoundly secret. At the same

time, they understood fully that they were not to pay the genuine

cheque for sixty thousand pounds, in case of its presentation; the

Marquis resolving to take time to consider what course he should pursue

with regard to that portion of the business.

The old nobleman drove home again; and, on his arrival at his stately

mansion, he shut himself up in his own chamber to reflect upon the

startling revelations of that day.

Not for an instant did he entertain the idea of seeking an interview

with Laura. Such a step was useless: for she had no doubt married, he

reasoned, according to her taste. Moreover, his pride revolted at the

bare idea of undergoing the humiliation and shame of being laughed at

by one who would probably care nothing for any reproaches that might be

levelled against her.

But how was he to recover the cheque? It was valid in her hands: for

even if she had connived at her mother’s forgery, the collusion could

not be brought home to her. Still, the Marquis did not at all admire

the idea of paying another sixty thousand--especially for one who had

so grossly deluded him.

By degrees the old nobleman’s thoughts became so bewildering that he

felt as if he were going mad. He had lost his daughter--he had lost his

mistress--he had been duped out of his money--and, vile though Laura

evidently was, he nevertheless still adored her image with a devouring

passion.

He walked up and down his room in a state of excitement that was

increasing cruelly, and that produced a hurry in the brain--a confusion

in the ideas--a delirium in the imagination.

The fever of his reflections augmented to such a height that he began

to conjure up a variety of evils and annoyances which did not really

exist. He pictured to himself his bankers laughing heartily at his

folly--retelling the scandal as an excellent joke--and propagating

the most offensive rumours all over the town. He fancied that he

beheld his friends and acquaintances endeavouring to conceal their

satirical smiles as they accosted him--he beheld the entire House

of Lords forgetting their dignity and whispering together in a

significant manner as he entered the assembly. Then his thoughts

suddenly travelled to Agnes; and all his ancient doubts and fears

relative to his paternity in respect to her, returned with overpowering

violence; until he felt convinced that she was indeed the offspring of

an adulterous connexion between his wife and Sir Gilbert Heathcote.

Lastly, by a rapid transition, his imagination wandered to the

abode of the Count and Countessa of Carignano; and he pictured the

lovely--seducing--voluptuous Laura in the arms of a rival!

All these reflections maddened the old man--deprived him of his

reason--rendered him desperate--and made life appear to him a burthen

of anguish and an intolerable misfortune.

He did not remember his boundless wealth--his proud titles--his

stately mansions--and all the means of pleasure, enjoyment, and

solace that were within his reach: his morbid condition of mind

obtained such a potent sway over him, that he only saw in himself a

lone--desolate--wretched old man,--deprived of his daughter--deprived

of his mistress--deprived of his money--and with the myriad fingers of

scorn pointing towards him.

Though the sun was shining joyously, and its golden beams penetrated

into the chamber through the opening in the rich drapery,--yet all

seemed dark--dreary--and cheerless to the miserable Marquis of Delmour:

his powerful intellect--his vigorous understanding--his moral courage,

were all subdued--crushed--overwhelmed beneath a weight of trifling

realities and tremendous fancies.

In this state of mind the miserable man suddenly rushed to his

toilette-case--seized his razor--and inflicted a ghastly wound upon his

throat.

At the same instant that he fell--the blood pouring forth like a

torrent--a valet entered the room, bearing a letter upon a silver tray.