SELF-RAISED : OR, FROM THE DEPTHS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 82, 8 April 1891, Page 6

SELF-RAISED : OR, FROM THE DEPTHS.

SEQUEL TO '•ISHMAEL, OR IN THE depths:

CHAPTER XLIX. THE FATE OF FAUSTINA. Oh, what a fate is guilt! How wild, how wretched! When apprehension can foi in nougnt but icai s. —Howard. Early tho next morning Ishmael went ever to tho prison to see tho governor relative to the removal of tho body of th® unhappy Vincent. But ho was told that the old Earl of Hurstmouceux had arrived ab noon on tho previous day and had claimed tho body of his sen and had it) removed from tiie prison in a close hearse at the dead of nighb, to escape bhe observation of the mob, and conveyed to Castle Cragg, where, without any funeral pomp, ib would fco quietly deposited in the family vault. With this intelligence Ishmael camo back to Judge Merlin. •That is well! Thab is a great relief to yny mind, Ishmael,' said tho judgo, and ho went to convey the news to Lady Vincent and the countess. Ab nine o'clock Katie, Bally and Jim, who were all witnesses for bhe prosecution in the approaching trial of Faustina Dugald, were despatched to the courthouse, under the escort of the professor. At half-past nine Judge Merlin, Ishmael Worth, Lady Vincent and the Countess of Hurstmcncoux enbored a close carriage and drove to tho same place. What a crowd I It s not every day that a woman of high rank stands ab the bar of a criminal courb to answer to a charge of folony. And Faustina was a woman of high rank, at least by marriage. She was the Honourable Mrs Dugald; and sho was aboub to be arraigned upon several grave charges, tho lightest one of which, if proved, would consign her to penal servitude for years. The world had got wind of this trial, and hence tha greab crowd bhab blocked up every approach to the court-house. Two policemen had to clear a way for the carriage containing the witnesses for the prosecution to draw up. And when it stopped, and its party alighted, the same two policemon had to walk before thorn to open a path for their entrance into the court-house. Here every lobby, sbaircase, passage, and anbe-room were full of curious people, pressed against each othor. These people could not get into the court-room, which was already crowded as full as it could bo packed, nor could they see or hoar anything from where they stood, and yet thoy persisted in standing there, crowding each other nearly to death, and strotching their necks and straining their eyes and ears after sensational sights and sounds. Through this consolidated mass of human beings tho policemen found great difliculty in forcing a passage for tho witnesses. Bub ab length bhey succeedod, and ushered the parby into the court-room, and seabed them upon the bench appointed to the use Df the witnesses for the prosecution. The court-room was oven moro densely packed than the approaches to it had been. It was scarcely possible to breatho the air, laden with the breath of so many human beings. But for the inconvenience of the groat crowd and the fcetid air, thia was an interesting place to pas 3 a fow hours in. The Lord Chief Baron, Sir Archibald Aloxander, presided on tho bench. Ho was supported on the right and loft by Justices Knox and Blair. Somo of the most distinguished advocates Of the Scottish bar wero present. The prisoner had nob yet been brought into court. A few minutes passed, however, and then, by the commotion near the door and by the turning simultaneously of hundreds of heads in one direction, it was discovered that she was approaching in custody of the proper ofiicers. Room was readily made for her by the crowd dividing right and left, and pressing back upon itself, like the waves of tho Red Sea, when the Israelites passed over ibdry shod, and she was led up between bwo bailiffs and placed in the dock. Then for the first timo the crowd got a good view of her, for the dock was raised some three or four feet abovo the Jevel of tho floor. She was well dressed for the occasion, for if there was ono thing this woman understood better than another, it was tho science of the toilet. She wore a dark brown silk dress and a dark brown velvet bonnet, and a Russian sable cloak, end cuffs and muff, and her face was shaded by a dolicate black lace veil. Mrs Mac Donald, who had followed her into the court, waa allowed to sit beside her ; a privilege thab the lady availed herself of, at some considerable damage to her own personal dignity ; for at least one-half of the strangers in the room, judging from her position beside the criminal, mistook her for an accomplice in the crime. After the usual preliminary forms had been observed, the prisoner was duly arraigned at the bai\ When asked by the clerk of arraignments whether she were guilty or nob guilty Bhe answered vehemently ; ' I am nob guilty of anything at all, no, not I ! I never did conspire against any lady ! My Lord Viscounb Vincent and his ■valet Frisbie did thab ! And I never did abduct and soil into slavery any negro persons ! My Lord Vincent and his valet did that also ! It was all the doing 3 of my lord and his valet, as you might know, since the valet has been guillotined and my lord has suffocated himself wibh charcoal ! And ib is a greab infamy to persecute a poor little woman for what gross big men did ! And I tell you, messieurs—' 1 That will do. This is no time for making your defence, bub only for entering your plea,' said the clerk, cutting short her oration. She threw herself into a chair and burst Snto tears, and sobbed aloud while the Queen's solicitor, Counsellor Birnie, got up ■to open bho indictment—setting forth the charges upon which the prisoner ab the bar had been arraigned. At the end of tha opening speech he proceeded to call the witnesses, and the first one called bo the stand was : •Claudia Dugald, Viscountess Vincent.' Judge Merlin arose and led his daughter to the stand, and then retired. Claudia threw aside her deep mourning veil, revealing her beautiful pale face, at the sight of which a murmur of admiration ran through the crowded court-room. The oath was duly administered, Claudia Jollowing tho words of the formula, in a low, but clear and firm voice. Oh ! bub her position was a painful one ! Gladly would she have retired from ib ; but the exactions of justice are inexorablo. Ib was distressing to her to stand there and give testimony against the prisoner, which should east such shame upon tho grave of the dumb, defenceless dead ; yet it was inevitable that she must do it. She was Tinder oath, and so she must testify to ' the truth, the wholo truth, and noshing bub tbe truth I' Then being questioned, she spoke of the sinful league between Faustina Dugald, the prisoner at the bar, and the deceased, Viscount Vincent; sho related the conversation sho had overheard between these two Hecomplices on the very nighb of her first

arrival home at Castle Cragg ; that j momentous conversation in which the first | germ of the conspiracy against her honour j was formed ; being further questioned, she , acknowledged the complete estrangement between herself and husband, and the j actual state of widowhood in which she had j lived in his house, whilo his time and attention were all devoted to her rival, the prisoner at the bar. Hare Claudia begged leave to retire from the stand, but, ot course, she was nob permitted to do so ; the Queen's solicitor had not done with her yet. She wu3 required to relate the incidents of that evening when the valet Frisbie waa dragged from his hiding-place in her boudoir by the ViscountVincent. And, amid fiery blushes, Claudia detailed all the circumstances of that scene. She was but slightly cross-questioned by the counsel for the prisoner, and without effect, and was finally permitted to retire. Her father came and lod her back to her sent. The housekeeper of Castle Cragg was tho next witness called, and she testified wibh a marked reluctance, that only servod to give additional weight to her statement, to the sinful intimacy between the deceased viscount and tho prisoner at the bar. Following her came old Cuthberb, who sadly corroborated her testimony in all respects. Noxb came other servants of the castlo, all with much diplike to do tho duty, speaking to tho ono point of tho fatal attachment thab had existed between Lord Vincent and Mrs Dugald. And then ab length came Katie. Now wo all know tho facts to which Katie would hear testimony, and the style in which she would do it ; and so we need nob repeat her statement here. Ib was sufficiently conclusive to ensuro the conviction of the prisoner, «yen if there had beon nothing to support ifc. But the most fatal ovidence waa yet to be produced. The Reverend Christian Godfree, chaplain of the gaol, was called to the stand and duly sworri. And then a manuscript was placed in his hand, and ho was asked if he could identify that as tho veritable last confession made'by tho convict, Alex Frisbie, in his cell, on tho nighb previous to his execution. Air Godfree carefully examined it and promptly identified it. But here the counsel for the prisoner interposed, and would have had tho confession ruled out as evidence ; and a controversy aroso between the prosecution find tho dofence, which was at lasb decided by tho bench, who ordered that the confession of Alick Frisbio should bo received as evidence in the case of Faustina Dugald. And then tho Queen's Solicitor, taking tho paper from tho witness, proceeded to road "the confession with all its deeply disgraceful revelations. From ib the complicity of Faustina Dugald in the conspiracy againsb Lady Vincent was clearly shown. I Having read it through, the solicitor called several witnesses from among tho servants of the castlo, who swore to bho signature at tho bottom of the confession as tho handwriting of Alick Frisbie. And then tho solicitor passed tho paper to tho foreman of tho jury thab ho might circulate it among his colleagues for their examination and satisfaction. The solicitor then summed up tho ovidence for the prosecutiou and rested tho caso. Mr Bruce, leading'counsel for the prisoner, arose and mado the besb defence that the bad case admitted of. Ho tried to pull to pieces, destroy anil discredit the evidence that had been given in ; bub all to no purpose. He next tried to engago tho sympathy of the judgo and jury for tho beauty and misfortunes of his client ; bub in vain. Finally, he called a number of paid witnesses, who testified chiolly to tho excellent moral character of Airs _ Faustina Dugald, seeking to mako it appear quite impossible that sho should do any wrong whatever, much less commit the crimes for which she stood ar-l-aignod ; und also to tho .malignant envy, hatred, and malico, felb by every servant ab Casblo Cragg and every witness for the prosecution against the injured and unhappy prisoner ab bho bar. seeking to mako it appear that all their testimony was until ing but malignant calumny la veiled against injured innocence. But unfortunately for thedefence, tho only impression theso witnesses made upon tho judge and tho jury was, that they—the witnesses—were about the most shameless falsifiers of the truth that ever perjured themselves before a court of justice. Tho counsel for the prisoner wont ovor the evidence for the defence in an eloquent speech, which was worse than wastod in such evil service. Tho Queen's Solicitor had, as usual, the last word. Tho Lord Chief Baron thon summoned up the evidence on either sido and charged the jury. And-bhe charsre amounted in effect to an insbrucbion to them to bring in a verdict against the prisoner. And accordingly the jury retired and consulted about twenty minntes, and then returned with tho verdict: 'Guilty.' Tho Lord Chief Baron arose to pronounce the sentence of the law. The clerk of the arraigns ordered the prisoner to stand up. 'What are they going to do now ?' nervously iuquired Faustina, who did not in the least understand what was going on. ' Nothing much, my dear ; his lordship the judge is going to speak to you from tho bench. That is all,' said Mrs Mac Donald, as sho helped tho prisoner to her feet; for Mrs Mac Donald never hesibated to tell a falsehood for the sake of keeping the peace. Faustina stood up, looking towards tho bench with curiosiby, distrust and fear. The Lord Chief Baron began tho usual prosing preamble to the sentence, telling the prisoner of the enormity of the crime of which she had been accused ; of tho perfect impartiality of tho trial to which she had been subjected ; tho complete conclusiveness of the evidence of which she had been convicted ; and so forth. Ho gave her to understand that the court might easily sentence her to fifteen or twenty years' imprisonment; bub that, in consideration of her early youth and of hor utter failure to carry out her felonious purposes to their completion, he would assign her a milder penalty. And he proceeded to sentence her to penal servitude for the term of ten years. The Lord Chief Baron resumed his seat. Faustina threw a wild, perplexed, appealing glance around the court-room, and then, as the truth of her doom entered her soul, she uttered a piercing shriek and foil into violent hysterics. And in this condition she was removed from the courb bo the p-aol, there to remain until ehe should bo transported to the scene of her punishment. 'We have nothing moro to do here, Judge Merlin. Had'you not better tako Lady Vincent back to the hotel ?' suggested Ishmael. The Judge, who had been sitting as if spell-bound, started up,gave his arm to his daughter, and led her oub of the court and to tho fly that was in attendance to convey them back to the ' Highlander.' Ishmael followed with the countess on his arm. And the professor, having the threo negroes in charge, brought up the rear. Judgo Merlin, Ishmael, Claudia and tho countess entered the fly. The professor and his charge walked. Aud thus they reached the ' Highlander,' where the news of Faustina Dugald's conviction had preceded them. The trial had occupied the whole day. It was now late in the evening; too late for our party to think of going on to Edinboro' that night. Besides, they all needed rest after the exciting scenes of the day ; and so they determined to remain in Banff | that night.

CHAPTER L. LADY HUKSI'MOXCEUX's BEVKT.ATION-. For life. I prize it, As I woigli grief which I would spare;—for honour, "V'.s a derivative from me to my mind, And only that 1 stand for. SIIAKSPERE. That same evening, while our party were assembled at tea in their private parlour at the ' Highlander,' a letter was broughb to Judgo Merlin. It was a formidable-looking letter, with a black border an inch wide running round tho envelope, and sealed with a greab round uf black wax, impressed wibh an earl's coronet. The judge opened and road it and passed ib to Ishmael. It proved to be a lettor from the Earl of Hurstmonceux and addressed to Judge Merlin. I have nob space to givo the contents of this lotter word for word. Ib set forth, in effect, that under bho recent distressing circumstances ib would bo too painful to tho Earl of Hurstmonceux to meet Judge Merlin in a personal interview. Bub that the earl wished" to mako an act of restitution. And so, if Judge Merlin would despatch his solicitor to London to tho chambers of the Messrs Hudson, in Burton street, Piccadilly, those gentlemen, who were the solicitors of his lordship, would be prepared to restore to Lady Vincent the fortune sho had brought in marriage to her husband, the late Lord Vincent. ' You will go to London and attend to this matter tor mo, Ishmael?' inquired the judgo, as he received the lettor back, after the young man had read ib. ' Why, certainly, Judge Merlin. Who should act for you but myself?' said Ishmael, with an affectionate smile. 'Bub ib may be inconvenient for you to go just now ?' suggested the judge. 'Oh, no, not ab all. In fact, judgo, I was intending to go up to London to join Mr Brudenell there in a very fow days. I was only waiting for this trial to be concluded before sotting out,'smiled Ishmael. 'Papa, what ia it that you are talking about '! Whab letter is that . inquired Claudia, while Lady Hurstmcncoux looked the question siie forboro to ask. For all answer the judge placed tho lottor in tho hands of his daughter, and then, turning to the countess, said : ' lb is a communication from Lord Hurstmonceux, referring us to his solicitors in London, whom ho has instructed to mako restitution of tho whole of my daughter's fori nnc' ' Tho Earl of Hurstmonceux is an honorable man, but he has been singularly unfortunate in his family. His brother and his son 3, who seem to havo taken more after their undo than their father, have all turned out badly, and given him much tioublc,' said tho countess. ' His brother '! I know of courso the career of his sons ; bub 1 did nob know anything aboub his brother,' said Judgo Merlin. ' Ho was tho Honourable Dromlie Dugald, Captain in bhe Tenth Highlanders, a man whose society was avoided by all good women. And yet 1 had causo to know him well,' answered tho countess, as a cloud passed over her beautiful faco. ' You, Berenice !' said Claudia, looking up in surprise ; for it was passing strange to hear thab pure and noble woman acknowledge an acquaintance with a man of whom she had just said thab every good woman avoided his society. ' I !' repeated tho countess, solemnly. There was certainly fato in tho next words sho spoke : 'This Captain Dugald was a near relative and great, favourite with my first husband, tho old Karl of Hurstmonceux; chiolly, I think-, for tho exuberant gayoty of temper and disposition of tho young man, that always kept tho old ono amused. But after the earl married mo, ho turned a cold shoulder to the captain, and complimented me by being jealous of him. This occasioned gossip, in which my good name suffered some injustice.' The countess paused, and turned her beautiful oyes appealingly to I&hmaol, saying : ' When you shall becomo one of the lawgivers of your nativo country, young gentleman, I hope that tho crime of slandor will bo mado a felony, indictable bofore your criminal courts.' 'If 1 had the remodelling of tho laws,' said Ishmael, earnestly, " slander should be mado felonious and punishable as thofb is.' ' Bub, dear Berenice, tho gossip of which you speak could havo dono you no lasting injury,' said Claudia. ' "No lasting injury 1" Well, no eternal injury, I hope, if you mean that,' sighed the countess. ' No, I mean to say thab a woman like yourself lives down calumny.' 'Ah ! bub in the living ib down, how much of heart-wasting !' Tho countess dropped her head upon her hand for a moment, while all hor long black ringlets fell around and veiled her pale and thoughtful faco. Then, looking up, she said : ' I think 1 will tell you allabout it. Something, I know nob whab, impels mo to speak to-night, in this little circle of select friends, on a theme on which I have been silent for years. Claudia, my dearest, if the jealousy of my old husband and the gossip of my envious rivals had been all, that would not havo hurt me much. But there was worse to como. Tho wretch, denied admittance to our house, pursuod me with his attentions elsewhere ; whenever and wherever I walked or rode out ho would be sure to join me. I havo said that such was his evil reputation that his society would havo brought reproach to any woman, under any circumstances ; judge you, then, whab ib musb have brought upon me, the young wife of an old man !' ' Had you no male relative to chastise the villain and send him about his business?' inquired tho judgo. Berenice smiled sadly and shook her head. ' My husband and my father were both very old man,' she said ; 'I had but one resource—to confine myself to the house and deny myself to all visitors. We were then living in our town house in Edinboro'. There my old husband died, and there I spent tho year of my widowhood. There my fathor camo to me, and also my kinsman, Isaacs.' ' Isaacs 1' impulsively exclaimed Ishmael, as his thoughts flew back to his Hebrew fellow-passenger. 4 Yos ; did you know him ?' 'I know a Jew of thab name ; mosb probably the same; but I beg your pardon, dear lady; pray proceed with your narrative. ' ' I mentioned my kinsman Isaacs, because I always suspected him to be a party to a stratagem, formed by Captain Dugald at that time to get mo into his power. Captain Dugald scarcely let the first six months of my widowhood pass by before he began to lay siege to my house ; sot to me personally ; for I always denied myself to him. But he came on visits to my kinsman Isaacs, with whom ho had struck up a greab inbimacy. He had much at stake, you see, for in tho first place he did me the honour to approve of my large fortune. So ho persevered with all tho zeal of a lover and all the tact of a fortune-hunter. Several times, through the connivance of my kins, man, he contrived to surprise me into an interview, and upon each occasion ho urged his suit ; but, of course, in vain. Captain Dugald was whab is called a "dare-devil," and I think he rather gloried in that name. Ho acted upon the maxim that " all stratagems are fair in love as in war." And he resorted to a stratagem to peb mo into his power, and reduce mo to the alternative of marrying him or losing my good name for ever.' ' Good Heavens .' he did nob attempt to carry you off by violence I' exclaimed Claudia.

Tha countess laughed. ' Oh, no, my dear ! Such things aro never attempted in this age of the world. Captain Dugald was far too astute to break the laws. I will tell you just how ib was, as ib camo to my own knowledge. My town house fronted immediately on Prince's street. Youknow what a thoroughfare that is? My bod-room and dressing-room were on the second floor—the bed-room being at the back, and the dressing-room in front, with three large windows overlooking the street. Large, double doors connected the Jbed-room with tho dressing-room. I am thus particular in describing the locality that you may better understand tho vil'any of tho stratagem,' said the countess, looking around upon her frionds. They nodded assent, and she resumed : •From some peculiar sensitivenes* of temperament, I can never sleep unless every ray of light is shut out from my chamber. Thus, at bod-time I have all my windows closed, their shatters fastened and their curtain drawn, lest the first dawn of morning should awaken me prematurely. Another constitutional idiosyncrasy of mine is the necessity of a greab deal of air. Therefore I always had the doors between my bed-room and dressing-room lefb open. 'After all, bhab is liko my own need, I require a greab doal of air also,' said Claudia. ' Well 1' now to my story. 'On a certain spring morning, in the beginning of the second year of my widowhood, I was awakened vory early by a glare of light in my bedroom. On looking up, I saw through the open doors connecting my bedroom with my dressing-room that the threo front windows of tho dressing-roooa, overlooking the street, wero open, and all the morning sunlight was pouring in. My first emotion was anger with my maid for opening thorn so soon to wake me up. I gob oub of bed, slipped on a dressing-gown and went into the front room. Now judge whab my feelings must have been to see thero Captain Dugald in his shirt sleovos, standing bofore ono of the front windows deliberately brushing his hair, in the full view of ull the passengors of the street bolow !' ' Great Heavon I' exclaimed Claudia. 'I could not speak,' continued the countess ; 'I could only stand and gaze at the man in speechless amazement. But he was nob dismayed 1 ho bursb inbo loud laugh, and laughed himself oub of breath—for he was a great laugher. When he found his tongue, he said to me ; ' " Yon had as well give in now, my lady ! Tho fortress is sapped 1 the mine is exploded I The city is taken ! Hundreds of people passing up and down tho sbreeb before bhis houso havo looked up ab those windows and scon mo standing hero half dressed ! And they have formed thoir opinions, and mado their comments, and circulated their nows accordingly ; and so, if our marriage bo nob published bhis morning, you may judge whab the consequences will be —to yourself !" ' ' What a villain !' said Judgo Merlin. ' Astonishment had ijtruek me dumb in the first instance ; and anger kepb me silent,' continued tho countess. 'I know what I ought to have done ! 1 know that I ought to have summoned the police, and given the man in chargo on the spot, as a common burglar and house-breaker, only you sco I did nob bhink of ib at the timo. I only rang the bell, and then, without waiting tho nrriral of my servant, I opened tho door and pointed silently to it. He made no motion to go ;on tho contrary, he began to defend his act, to plead his cause, and to urge his suit. He said that "all stratagems were fair in love and war ;" that iv waa nob absolutely necessary for my fair fame that we should be immediately married ; thab the bride ho had won by fraud should be won with faithfulness. Bub, with an unmoved countenance, 1 only pointed to tho door, until my servant camo in answer to the bell. Then I told thab servant to sho.v Captain Dugald out, and if ho refused to go, to summon assistance and eject him. Seeing thab I was determined te bo rid of him, he put on his coat, and, laughing at my discomfiture, took his departure. Then I instituted inquiries ; but failed to gain any information respecting his means of entrance and concealment in my apartments. I sbrongly suspected my kinsman Isaacs of being tha accomplice of Captain Dugald ; but I had no means of ascertaining tho fact by questioning him, as he went away that same morning and never returned. Tho adventure of course did me some harm at tho timo ; but tho unprincipled hearer of ib reaped no advantage Ho doubtless thought me another Lucrotia, who would sacrifice the reality to presorvo tho semblance of honour. He hoped to find in mo one who, in tho base fear of being falsely condemned, would marry a man I despised, and thus really deserve condemnation. He was disappointed ! From that hour I fotbado him the houso, and I have nevor seen sinco. A yoar later I married another,' added the countess, in a voice so subdued that, ab bhe close of the sentence, it gradually sank into silence. ' You were right—entirely right, Lady Hurstmonceux, in thus vindicating the dignity of womanhood. And Ido nob be lieve thab any lasting blamo growing out of a misunderstanding of circumstances could have attached blame to you,' said Ishmael, earnestly. Ishmaal's beautiful eyes had boon bent on her all the timo ; now his whole face lighted up with a smile as of a newly inspired, benevolent hope. 'No, indeed, thero was not! And soon after that event I left Edinboro' for the south coast ot England, and at Brighton ' — here the voico of the countess sank almost to an inaudible whisper—' at Brighton I met and married another. And now let us talk of something else, Ishmael,' sho concluded, turning an affectionate glance upon bhe sympathetic face of the young man. For thoro was a wonderful depth of sympathy between this queenly woman of forty-five and this princely young man of twenty-two. On her side was the royal, benignant, tender friendship with which such sovereign ladies regard such young men ; while on his side thero was the loyal devotion with which such young men worship such divinities. Such a friendship is a blessing when it is understood; a ctlrse when it is misapprehended. Ishmael turned the conversation to the subject of the acb of reebitubion, proposed by the Earl of Hurstmonceux, (To be Continued Next Wednesday.)