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fearvarb College libcarf 

BOUGHT FROM GIFTS 

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY 



jf'^f^^j;: 



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Darvarb College Xtbran? 

BOUGHT FROM GIFTS 
OF 

FRIENDS OF THE UBRARY 



^' 




THE MUMMY! 



A TALE 



OF THE TWENTY-SECOND CENTURY. 



»»» 



^^ Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up ?* 

1 Sam. zxviii. 15. 



IN THRE£ VOLUMES. 



VOL. III. 



SECOND EDITION. 



LONDON : 

HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 

1828. 



1^^^^'^^ 



HARVARD COLLEGE LIBAARV 

THE GIFT OF ^ 

FRIENDS OF THE UBKARV 



LONDON : 
PRINTED BY S. AND R. BBNTLBY, DO&8BT-8TREBT. 






THE MUMMY. 



CHAPTER I. 

When Roderick and Dr. Entwerfen returned 
to the camp, they found Edric most impatiently 
awaiting their arrival. He was too much agi- 
tated to speak ;^ and the worthy doctor found 
all his troubles amply repaid by the interest 
his friends took in his welfare. 

Whilst Dr. Entwerfen was employed in re- 
lating his adventures to Edric, Roderick was 
occupied by a task far more difficult and im- 
portant than any he bad yet undertaken, yiz. 
that of organizing and of providing for the 

VOL. III. B 



THE MUMMY. 

disorderly multitude that had thronged into 
his camp from the city: their number was 
immense ; men, women, and children, crowded 
round their deliverer, falling upon their knees, 
blessing him and kissing the edge of his gar- 
ments* Roderick was affected even to tears: 
** For HeaveoV sake, my good friends,^ said he, 
^' spare me ; I have done but my duty ; I have 
been but an humble instrument in the hands 
of Providence; address your thanks to him: 
there they are due.** 

Notwithstanding their waxm expressions of 
gratitude, Roderick was quite aware it was not 
enough to have saved thes^ people : he kaiew 
he must, do sometbiMg to firovide them with 
food and lodging; mid that if he did not, 
when the first moment of enthusiasQi should be 
pasfsed, unpleasant scenes o^ust ineyitably take 
place. He accordingly made dispositions to 
this effect, with a prudence and sagacity which 
would have done credit to far more advanced 
years. Temporary huts were erected, till the 
streets, of Seville could be cleared of the ruins 
that encumbered them, and the houses in some 



THfi.MUMBiY* 3 

measure repaired. Shelter for the inhabitants 
bemg thus provided, Roderick harangued tfie 
nia§^stiate6, directing lliem to take the people 
under their direction. These sapient ministers 
of justice gladly gave him possession of the 
town, which^ Roderick was too generous to as^ 
sume without their permission, and acknow- 
ledged themselves and the garrison prisoners 
of war. The peasants, when they found th^ 
kindness with ^hich the citizens had beeii 
treated, flocked in with provisions, and the 
camp of the Irish monarch soon resembled an 
imm^Ase fkir. 

Alexis had followed his master during the 
whole of these arrangements, and had fre- 
quently sighed deeply as they proceeded. 
" What is the matter with the boy J^ said ^ 
Roderick in one of these moments : ** I cannot 
imagine why he looks so melancholy !^^ 

The boy enthusiastically clasped his hands 
together, looking up to Heaven, as though 
murmuring an* inward prayer. 

*^ What can this mean P^^ exclaimed Roderick 
with astonishment. 



4 THE MITMMY. 

The .boy took his master's band, pressing 
it first to bis lips» and then vehemently to bis 
heart, and knelt before him, reverentially bend- 
ing his forehead to the earth. The next mo- 
ment, however, officers entering for directions, 
the attention of Roderick was diverted, and 
Alexis was forgotten. 

In the mean time, M. de Mallet and bis 
daughter, who had been exceedingly agitated 
by the events of the day^ thought not of repose, 
but sat in the tent prepared for them^ convers- 
ing upon the merits of their deUverers. 

**' I never saw a finer countenance,^ said M. 
de Mallet, ^^so noble, so animated, and yet 
so good.^ 

"Good indeed r ejaculated his daughter; 
" surely if we could believe a superior spirit 
would ever descend upon earth, such would be 
the form he would assume !" 

'^ How kindly he spoke, and how conside- 
rately !^^ exclaimed the father. 

^* How attentive he seemed, and how deli- 
cate !^ rejoined the daughter. 

" Such a majestic figure !"" 



THE MDxMMY. 5 

*^ Such a graceful manner V* 

^^ It is so rare to find such condescension in 
so great a monarch.^^ 

" Monarch !" cried Pauline: " were you speak- 
ing of Roderick^ father ?'' 

^^ And of whom were you speaking, child P^ 
returned her father, turning quickly round, and 
fixing his eyes upon her* 

" Of — of — Mr. Montagu^ father,** replied 
Pauline, casting down her eyes and blushing ' 
deeply. 

'' Pauline V said M. de Mallet. She started 
at the sound of her father's voice, and looked 
timidly up in his face. *^ Pauline,^ repeated 
he, " my dear child, beware V* 

At this moment a roar of cannon shook the 
tent; the sound echoed by the walls of the 

» 

town, and leaping from hill to hill in lengthen- 
ed peals, Pauline sank upon her knees, hiding 
her face in her father'^s lap. '^ My child ! my 
beloved child!'' cried M. de Mallet, bending 
over her as though to shield her from danger, 
'* Heaven defend thee T 
In this painful situation, the father and 



"t 



e VHB MUVIIY. 

daughter continued till the cannonading ceased. 
All was DOW atill«; and awful was tlie calm 
which succeeded such a tumult. PauUne raised 
her head, and looked fearfully around. *^ Come, 
my child,^' said her father, *^ let us endeavour 
to ascertdin who are victors.'' 

Pauline rose from her knees, and, leaning 
upon her father'^s arm, aocompanied him to the 
op&amg of the tent ; but she shrank back shud- 
denng, at ike horrid scene irtiich presented 
itself. Their tent was situated at the extreme 
edge of the camp, and commanded a view of 
the whole field of battle where the combat of 
ti^e m<mnng had taken place. The plain that 
stretched to their left, lay covered with the 
bodies of the dying and the dead, whilst a mul- 
titude of horses broken loose, galloped over the 
fiddy plunging, snorting, and crusMng beneath 
their ho^s, the bodies of their fallen riders. 

In some places, the branches ct half broken 
trees strew^ the ground, whilst their mutilated 
trunks, perforated with shot, remained as 
melancholy relics of their former beauty. 
Swords and hdmets, mingled with overturned 



^^g^s and dilitary utensils of all kinds, were 
aeattered in wild disorder aroidid. The ^artb> 
]^ouglied lip by the cannon balk in deep far- 
vows, sfi&re where the ridges had been beaten 
flat by the feet of the combntants, looked wild 
and uneven as the waves of the inighty ocean 
arrtasled In the moment of tempest. Kood lay 
in pools upon the ground; ftnd clotted gore, 
mingled horribly with reinnati^s of human bones 
and brains, hung to the i»till standing bushes^ 
disfigimng the fair face cf[ nature. 

Pauline shuddered, and turned eagerly to the 
other side of the landscape, which commanded 
a view of the town. Here still, however, ishe 
found nothing but war and death. It wsm the 
moment when the explosion of die petard set 
fire to the wooden bulwaric ; and Roderick and 
Edric leaped through the fiames upon the 
beach. The bright glafis of the blazing bul- 
warks relieved strongly their dsA figures, and 
Pauline distinctly saw and reoc^nized them for 
a moment, though the nett ikey were lost in a 
cloud of smoke. She screamed, and grasped 
her lather^s vrta in iconvulstve agony. M. de 



8 THE XirMMT. 

Mallet was acarodykflB agifatrd dian henelf; 
and, as the smoke cleared away, tliey saw dis« 
tincdy through its opening inolames, Roderick 
and Edric upon the breadi, of^poeed by acrowd 
of Spaniards, and fighting with inveterate fury. 
*' Roderick is on his knees^* cried M. de Mal- 
let ^ But see ! he rises suddenly, and plunges 
the Spaniard, who had raised his sword to cut 
him down, into the flames." Pauline did not 
speak ; but she gasped for breath, and held her 
father's arm yet more tightly than before. 
Edric was now seen grappling hand to hand 
with a Spaniard, when the fire and smoke 
closed upon him and hid him from their view. 
7he next instant, a tremendous crash was heard, 
and loud shouts, followed by a rush of men ; 
it was the sortie of the beaeged. 

*^ Oh, heavens!'^ cried Pauline, turning pale, 
and resting her head upon her father's shoulder, 
<^ war is a dreadful thing." 

*' You are faint, my child," replied M- de 
Mallet ; ^^ this is no fitting scene for you. Shall 
we go in V 

" Oh, no, no !" cried Pauline feebly ; ** I caiv» 



THS MUMMY. 9 

not leave the spot.^ Here shouts of Roderick ! 
Roderick for ever ! Roderick and glory !^ rang 
in their ears. Pauline shuddered ; a faint sick*. 
ness crept over her ; the scene seemed to swim 
before her eyes ; and she would have fallen, but 
for the suf^rting arm of her father. At this 
moment, some soldiers, carrying a bier* passed 
at a little distance from the tent. Upon it lay 
the body of an officer ; his head hung back, his 
long thick hair was matted with gore, and a 
ghastly wound gaped on his uncovered breasts 
Pauline could bear no more — she thought it 
was Edric, and she fell fainting into her father's 
arm9. 

M. de Mallet bore her back into the tent, 
and as soon as she was sufficiently recovered to 
enable him to think of any thing but herself, he 
dispatched one of the soldiers, appointed to at. 
tend them, to ascertain if the Irish monarch 
had escaped* The soldier did not return ; and 
M. de Mallet, too impatient to remain in his 
tent, sallied forth to learn the news himself. 
Scarcely was he gone, however, when the sol* 
dier's wife, whom he had called to the assist- 

B 5 



10 THS ICUXMT. 

anoe of Pauline, peiceiTed the town was on five, 
Pauline^s agitation now became exoesave ; she 
tremUed in every limby and listened till the 
sense of hearing seemed agony. She could not 
comprehend the cause of the nmse and bustle 
made by the dtisens, as they came crowding 
into the camp ; she looked forth, but the throng 
of half naked men, women, and children, that 
came hurrying akHig, seemed inexplicable; she 
stopped a woman, who, half dressed, had her 
clothes tucked up in one hand, whilst with the 
other she led two half naked children—- ^^ What 
is the matter ?^ asked she. ^* Roderick !^ cried 
the woman bewildered in her grief, ^^ God bless 
the noble Roderick T 

^^ Where are you going 1^ demanded Pauline 
of two young men, bearing between them a bed 
containing their sick father* 

^^ Roderick r shouted the pious Spaniards. 
^^ Heayw in its mercy, help Roderick i" 

Pauline was proceeding in her inquiries, 
though without the smallest hope of receiving 
a direct i^y, the hearts and minds of the 



Tat uvMur. 11 

SpaaiArds bdng lo full of Roderick, that no 
other name ooukl find utterance from theif' lips, 
when she perceived her fktber. 

'^ My dearest fathet !^' cried she^ running to 
ham ; << now I shall know all ! What is the 
matter ?^ 

*^ Roderick, the noUe Roderick is l^fe !^' re- 
peated M. de Mdilet. Pauline was diagrined — 
she longed lo hear of Edri<$, and she envied, 
for his sake, the renown of the Irish hero. 
" Call ydu, top, speak of nothing but Roderick ?" 
said she, somewhat reproachfully. 

^^ And of whom else should I speak f^ replied 
her father. '^ Who else deserves to be spoken 
of? for surely he is the bravest! the noblest 
of men !" 

^^ I do not doubt it, observed Pauline coldly. 

<< Every tongue utters his praise— -every breast 
swells with gratitude at his goodness— and 
every hand is raised to Heaven in prayers on 
bis behalf \** continued M. de Mallet. 

^' Have there been many persons killed ?^ 
asked Pauline. 



12 THE VUITMY. 



« 






How can you ask so fodish a question P^ 
replied her father* ^^Db you not see the 
ground heaped inth slain ?^ 

But persons of note, I mean.^ 
Let me see ; I think they said there were 
the Generals H — and M— , and Counts L—, 
P— and T— •** 

" Oh r groaned Pauline impatiently. 

^^ And besides, I think they say Mr. Mon- 
tagu is seriously wounded." 

" I feared so J" sighed Pauline, " he is so 
brave.'* 

<< Yes — every one says he is brave, and im- 
plores blessings upon his name — for he saved 
the life of Roderick !"* 

Pauline's countenance had beamed with tri- 
umph at the commencement of this sentence ; 
but it rather fell at the conclusion. She did 
not quite like her hero to owe his glory to any 
one but himself. 

M. de Mallet continued : ** His bravery and 
nobleness of spirit were unequalled. Every 
one praises him. There is certainly something 
very extraordinary in the character of the £ng« 



THE ICUlCMr, 18 

lish. Their daring tempers and love of adven* 
ture lead them to quit peace and riches in their 
native country, to seek glory and distinctioB 
elsewhere* This Mr. Montague is really an 
exalted young man."" 

Pauline's eyes flashed joy — she felt she loved 
her father better than ever — she could have 
embraced him as he spoke, for the praise of 
Edric sounded as the sweetest music in her 
ears. Strange that so slight an acquaintance 
should have produced so strong an emotion I 
but such and so inexplicable is love. 

Pauline had now patience to hear the expla* 
nation of her father respecting Roderick. She 
even felt pleasure in the repetition of his ex- 
ploits, for he was the friend of Edric ; and she 
retired to rest — ^happy in herself, and contented 
with all the world ; having been first assured by 
her father that the surgeon confidently expected 
Edric would soon recover. Pauline, however, 
would have been very much puzzled to explain 
the cause of the excessive contentment that she 
felt . The situation of herself and father was 
as hopeless as ever. They were st)ll prisooeri 



14 THE MVMMr. 

ia a strange laiid^ without fortune, and without 
friends; but so little docs happness depend 
upon external ciieumstanoes^ that the breast 
of Pauline seemed to have been a stranger to it 
till now. 

After arranging every thing for the com- 
fort of the refugees and his own soldien^ 
Roderick took a few hours of hurried repose. 
When he arose in the morning, he sent his 
compliments to M. de Mallet and his daugh- 
ter, to demand permisacm to wait upon them. 
This was instantly and gladly accorded, and 
in a few minutes the Irish hero was in their 
teat. 

*^ I condole with your Majesty upon the 
situation of your friend,^ said M. de Mallet, 
the moment he saw him : *^ I hope he is 
better.'' 

The monarch sBiUed ; he forgave the abrupt- 
ness of ihe question, in favour of the excellence 
ci the motive, and he replied that Mr. Mon- 
tagu was fast recovering. ^^ He regrets ex- 
ceedingly,^ added he, ^' that it is not in his 
power to pay his devoirs fa^e''"** bowing to 



THB HUHMY. 16 

Pftttline, ^ and well can I sympathize with him, 
as I know what he loses.^ 

Pauline inquired modestly die partieulars 
of the combat. ^^ Upon my word, Madam,** 
replied Roderick, ^ I know very little about it.** 

'^ I thought your Majesty had been en- 
gaged?* 

'^ That is the very reason. If I had not, 
the case might have been different; but as 
it was, I only just saw a great many people 
who tried to kill me, and a great many whom 
I tried to kill, and the smoke hid all the 
rest.** 

^^ A very satisfactory account of a battle, 
upon my word,** cried M. de Mallet, smiling; 
^^ but other people saw more of your Majesty*s 
acts than you did yourself; and they say, you 
performed prodigies of valour.** 

^^ It is very kind of them to say so,** said 
Rodarick, ^^ for I am sure it is more than they 
know.** 

^^ Your Majesty's modesty wishes to throw a 
veil ov^ your valour,** observed Pauliney *^ but 
luckily it cannot be coneeakd*** 



16 THE UVUUT. 

^* Your praises. Madam, would make any 
man a coxcomb,^ returned the Monarch ; *^ I 
own I have not the courage to refuse commen- 
dations from your lips.^ 

Pauline blushed — she fancied she bad said 
too much, and now remained silent. 

" I cannot describe how much I admire your 
Majesty's leniency to the inhabitants of the 
city,'' said M. de Mallet: *^it .proves your be- 
nevolence is equal to your valour,. though in- 
deed it was sound policy to act as you have 
done; for by this you have conciliated the 
hearts of the Spaniards ; whereas, if you had 
exercised any cruelty, they would have risen 
against you en masse ; but this, 1 dare say, your 
Majesty considered." 

" Indeed/' replied Roderick smiling, " my 
Majesty considered no such thing; I only 
thought as a man : I did not like to see my fel- 
low-creatures burnt to death, or poniarded if 
they attempted to escape; I should not have 
liked it at all, if I had been in a similar situa- 
tion, and so I did all in my power to save them 
«— *that is all I know about the matter. But to 



THE MUMUY« IT 

change the subject, I have a great favour to beg 
of you, Mademoiselle de MaUet^ 

" What is it ?'" asked Pauline : " your Ma- 
jesty has only to speak to be obeyed.^ 

*^ Oh ! for Heaven^s sake do not talk of 
obedience — it is I who should obey — I only 
ask a favour, and it is, that you will permit 
me to bring Dr. Entwerfen to kneel at your 
feet and kiss your fair hand, in token of his 
homage." 

** I would not advise Pauline to let him 
kneel," said M« de Mallet laughing, ^^ as I 
fear, if she does, there will be some difficulty 
in getting him up again." 

" Your Majesty^s commands, — " said Pauline. 

*' Do not talk of commands." interrupted 
Roderick ; " I hate the word." 

** Your Majesty's wishes, then," continued 
PauKne smiUng, " shall be complied with." 

*^ This evening," cried the gay monarch, 
^^ the doctor shall make his appearance. Till 
then, adieu !" 

^^ Will your Majesty have the kindnesa to 



18 THE MUMMY. 

present my beet wishes to Mr. Montagu for 
his recovery,^ requested M. tte Mallet. 

« Certainly,'' replied Roderick ; « but am I 
to tell Edrie that Mademoiflene de Mallet has 
no wishes for his welfare ?" 

« I wish— I hope— that is, I think ^"^ 

stammered Pauline. 

^ My daughter means her sentiments are 
exactly similar to my own upon the subject,*^ 
said M. de Mallet gravely; for he was not at 
all pleased with the interpretation he thought 
the King might put upon the embarrassment 
txf his daughter. 

" Very well !^ repeated Roderick provok- 
ingly : '' I shall tell Edrick, that M. de Mal- 
let and his daughter think exactly alike of 
him. — That is it, is it not f^ 

m 

M. de Mallet was about to reply, when the 
King, nodding and waving his hand, bade them 
adieu, and hurried away. ^^ I don'^t know what 
to make of the Irish hero,** said M. de Mallet, 
the moment he had left them : " with all his 
good qualities, there is something very strange 



TUB MTTMMT. 



19 



about him : I don't know what to make of 
himr 

« 

Pauline sighed assent ; thoagh die did know 
w4iat to make of him yery well, for she fancied 
he 9KW, and ridiculed her partiality for Edric. 
l%ia idea voused every spark of pride in her 
mature ; she could not hear the thought of be> 
'ing supposed to give her love unsought, and 
i^e deterarined. when she nvct s«w Roderick, to 
show by her coldness and indifference when 
Edric was mentioned, how completely he had 
been deceived. 

When Roderick left the tent of M. de Mal- 
let, he returned to Edric, whom he found pale 
and feeble. 

^^ You are the happiest fellow in existence, 
Edric !^ said he : ** I would willingly give ^dl 
my f^ory^ and even my demoniacal renown^ 
which the Spaniards talk so much about, to 
be able to call up such blushes to t^ cheek ct 
beauty as your name can raise. Oh ! if you^^ 
had seen Pauline. By Heaven ! she is th( 
loveliest creatute I ever behdd in my life V* 



so THE MVICMY. 

As he spoke, Alexis, the Greek page, who 
had been crouching rather than sitting at the 
foot of Edric's couch, resting his head upon 
his hands, and looking absorbed in grief, ut- 
tered a faint cry, and rushed out of the tent. 

^^ There is something very extraordinary 
about that boy,^ said Roderick, looking after 
him. 

" There is, indeed,*^ replied Edric, *'and I 
have taken notice that he will often whei^ he 
thinks himself unobserved, sit for hours in- 
tently gazing upon you, sighing so deeply 
occasionally, that it is quite painful to hear 
him.'' 

" It is very strange r repeated Roderick 
musing, ^^ I have remarked something of the 
same kind myself/' For some moments he re* 
mained lost in thought ; but it was not in hi^ 
gay and joyous nature to suffer any tiling to 
depress him long; and in the next instant, 
Alexis was forgotten. 

The fall of Seville, and the destruction of 
the army sent to defend it, produced a pow. 
erful effect upon the destinies of Spain. The 



THE MCMMY, SI 

Cortes again sent ambassadors to negociate 
with the Irish hero ; but, taught by experience, 
he now received them haughtUy, refusing to 
treat with them but as a conqueror; and to 
put bis threats in execution he determined to 
advance immediately upon Madrid. 

<<We must follow up our victory,'' said he 
to Edric, after he had somewhat contemp- 
tuously dismissed the deputies from the shat- 
tered remnant of the allied army, who came 
to sue humbly at his feet for peace* '^ These 
people are treacherous beyond description. 
They do not understand leniency, and they 
must be treated with sword in hand. I am 
thoroughly tired of them ; their fickleness and 
uncert^nty have quite disgusted me; I will 
therefore march to Madrid, establish Don 
Pedro as their sovereign, and take my leave 
of them for ever.'' 

^^ I am rejoiced to hear it !" exclaimed 
Edric. " You will then return to Ireland, 
and devote your time to your own subjects." 

" I will try to satisfy them as well as I 
can ; but as perfection cannot be expected 



2S THE MUMHY* 

all at once, you must not be surprised if 
gome day I should fly off in a tangent, and 
take it into my bead to colonize the moon.^^ 

Edric laughed : ^^ If you promise to wail 
tiU then,'' said be, <' I shall be satisfied.'' 

'^ You may not find my project sd wild aa 
it appearsy^ rejoined Roderick. ^^ The moon 
is a very pretty, mild, modestJooking pliinet, 
and I must own I should like amazingly to 
see what kind of inhabitants she oontains ; and 
if I should determine to go therie^ here is a 
gentleman who I am sure will be quite ready 
to accompany me.'' 

Dr. Entwerfen entered the tent as he spoke. 
** Of what was your Majesty speaking ?'" 
asked he* 

" Of a voyage to the moon," said Roderick. 
** Will you go with me ?" 

" With all my heart," cried the little doctor, 
rubbing his hands and looking all glee at the 
thought. 

" There, I told you so !" said Roderick, 
laughing, 

I should have thought the many ad- 



« 



THE MlfMMY. Sft* 

ventures you. have met with had cured your 
pa&»on for travelling,'*^ rejoined Edric. 

^^ Cured him ! Given him a zest for it, you 
m^an/' replied Roderick. ^^ The appetite for 
trayelling always grows with what it feeds 
upon ; and though the doctor may boast 

^ That he has fair Seville seen 
So i« a traveller^ I ween^' 

r 

yet I do not doubt but that he is just as eager 
to explore new places as ever." 

" Yes,'* returned the doctor, " I certainly 
did see Seville." 

" Every part of it, my dear fellow, from itir 
palaces to its dungeons,'' resumed Roderick; 
** nay, I believe you were very near, being 
indulged with a vienv of its ropes^" 

The doctor did not quite relish this raillery. 
** I can assure your Majesty — " 

^^ Apropos de bottesy* cried Roderick, inter- 
rupting him, ^^ I had entirely forgotten I pro« 
unsed to present jrou to Mademoiselle de 
Mallet. You have not seen her since you 
dressed her arm, and if I had not taken care to 



M THE MUMMY. 

proTide a more attentive surgeon for her, I 
don^t know what might have been the con- 
sequence. We will go now. Will you accom- 
pany US, Edric? I am sorry to ask you to 
do any thing so disagreeable; but I think it 
will be but decent to kiss hands, take leave, 
and all that sort of thing, before we set out 
for Madrid: besides, it may be as well to 
make some kind of provision as to what is 
to become of them in our absence.'' 

*'Then you will not take them with you?'* 
said Edric, despondingly. 

*' Who ever heard of such a thing f^ cried 
Roderick. '^ How could I possibly ask the 
lovely Pauline to endure the inconveniences 
of travelling with a camp ? and with a broken 
arm too ! I really have not the assurance 
to attempt it." 

Edric sighed deeply ; and his countenance 
assumed an expression of so much melancholy, 
that Roderick laughed immoderately: ^^ I could 
not have believed it possible,'* cried he, " that 
you could ever become such a sighing Stre- 
phon ; the thing "^s incredible T 



THE MUMMY. 25 



« 



The pain of my wounds," said Edric, 
blushing; for even philosophers don't like to 
be laughed at. 

*^* The pain in your heart !'' repeated Rbde- 
rick mimicking him. ^^ But, come ! come ! 
I can pity you. I have been in love at least 
fifty times myself — so I know what it is.*'' 

" But I am not in love,^ remonstrated Edric. 

^^ Denial is one of the most dangerous symp- 
toms,'' resumed Roderick, gravely. " Experi- 
enced physicians rarely think their patients 
really ill, till they are not conscious of it them- 
selves. Let me feel your pulse.'' 

" Psha !" said Edric impatiently. 

" Will you go then ?'^ asked Roderick, 
laughing ; and to avoid being farther torment- 
ed by his raillery, Edric hastily rose from his 
couch and declared himself ready to attend 
him. The injuries he had received, having been 
only flesh wounds inflicted with a sabre, had 
now nearly healed ; and the only change they 
had produced in his appearance, had been to 
make him look more pale and interesting, one 
arm being supported by a sling, and a bandeau 

• VOL. III. c 



26 THE MUMA^Y. 

bound round his forehead. Pauline^s eyes 
sparkled when she saw him, in spite of her in- 
tended indifference ; and she could not command 
her voice so entirely, but that its tremulous 
tone betrayed her inward agitation. 

Edric^s eyes also involuntarily expressed his 
pleasure ; whilst the gay laugh and arch look 
of Roderick told that he was perfectly aware 
of what was passing in the mind of each. Doc- 
tor Entwerfen, however, saw nothing of the 
kind/his mind being quite absorbed in the de* 
lightful contemplation of his own glory. He 
had been presented to M. de Mallet by Rode- 
rick, as ^^ his friend and counsellor, the learned 
and justly celebrated Doctor Entwerfen;^ and 
that moment seemed a sufficient rewafd for 
a whole life of misery, the doctor^s ecstasy 
upon the occasion being so unbounded, that he 
neither knew what he did nor what he said. 
Whilst Roderick had been speaking, indeed, 
he had been in perfect agony ; stretching him- 
self out on tiptoe, opening his hands and clo- 
sing them again with every sentence, as though 
bursting with impatience to speak, that he might 



THE MUftrMV. 27 

by his eloquence confirm the monarch's eulo- 
gium, yet trembling every instant lest he should 
interrupt it. 

M. de Mallet had been a dabbler in scien* 
tific experiments in his youth, and, pleased to 
find a person who could talk to him, and un- 
derstand his ideas upon the subject, he soon 
drew the doctor on one side, leaving his 
younger friends to be entertidned by his 
daughter. 

The conversation which ensued may be 
easily imagined. Lovers are not famed for 
any eloquence but that of the eyes, and those 
of Edric and Pauline were sufficiently expres- 
sive, whilst the languor of indisposition, under 
which they were both suffering, shed a pleasing 
softness over their ideas very favourable to the 
developement of the tender passion. Whilst 
Roderick, who notwithstanding his love for 
mischief was really good-natured, no longer 
tormented them with his raillery; and Edric 
so well improved his time, that when M. de 
Mallet had finished his conference with the, 
doctor, and Roderick informed him of his in- 

cS 



S8 THE MUMMY. 

tention of leaving Seville upon the following 
day, after appointing him governor of the city, 
Pauline turned deathly pale, and every hope 
of happiness seemed to fly from her breast 
for ever. 

M. de Mallet, however, was not at all aware 
of his daughter's anguish; and, thanking the 
king gratefully for the high honour conferred 
upon him, his fancy began to revel by anticipa- 
tion in the delights of governorship; and in 
ten minutes he had arranged in his mind as 
many improvements and alterations as it would 
take fifty years to accomplish. 

'* Farewell !" continued Roderick : " I trust 
we shall meet again, if not here, at least in 
another and a better world. Permit me, lady V* 
continued he, slightly touching with his lips 
the pallid cheek of Pauline. " To-morrow with 
the dawn we advance, and we have so much to 
do ere then, that we must deny ourselves the 
pleasure of again enjoying your society. Fare- 
well, Governor! you will find the necessary 
papers to install you here,^ (giving him a 



THE MUMMY. S9 

packet) ^^ and the soldiers have orders to obey 
you as myself. Come, Edric." 

Edric advancedy and bowing, took the hand 
of Pauline and pressed it respectfully to his 
lips ; — his heart was too full to speak. Pauline 
could scarcely restrain her tears, and shaking 
hands with the doctor, she hastily retired to 
a part of the tent enclosed for her use. 

*^ My daughter is not well,^ said M. de Mal- 
let ; ^^ these scenes of blopd and war are too 
much for her nerves ; but she will soon recover 
when you have left us.^ 

*' I doubt that,^ murmured Roderick in 
a half whisper ; and soon after the friends 
retired. Edric was not insensible to Pauline'^s 
emotion ; and as he more than suspected the 
cause, a pleasure unknown befcn-e throbbed 
in his bosom: his eyes sparkled, and his 
whole appearance presented so complete a con- 
trast to his usual depression, that Roderick 
could not resist the temptation of again rallying 
him most unmercifully upon it. ** Talk of 
medicine," cried he, ^^ there is no elilir like the 



80 THE MUMBIY. 

magic of a pair of bright eyes. All the physi- 
cians in my camp can effect nothing like it. 
Nay, you need not blush so, Edric! I did 
not imagine you were so far gone as that.^^ 

'^ I do not blush, that I am aware of^"" re^ 
turned Edric, somewhat peevishly ; for he did 
not relish being teazed ; '* at least, I am sure I 
have no occasion for blushing.^' 

^^ Well, then, don^t look so like a bashful 
maiden, disavowing her first attachment, with 
a ^ La, Pa ! how can you think so !* — I did not 
suppose you were capable of such affectation.^ 

^* I am not aware that I have been guilty 
of any."" 

" Come, then, own the truth candidly — you 
love Mademoiselle de Mallet ?** 

** How can you think so ?*' replied Edric, 
blushing deeply in spite of his efforts to look 
composed. 

" You are indifferent to her, then ? Dear me 
I had no idea of it, I never was more com- 
pletely deceived in my life ! Well, if that 's 
the case, I will resume my first design of trying 
my own fortune."" 



THE MUMMY. 81 






How can you be so provoking ?" 
Why it is very bard, if you are not in love 
with her yourself, that you should wish to 
prevent every one else from being so/' 

^* Your Majesty's rank, I should think, would 
prevent your even thinking of Mademoiselle de 
Mallet.'' 

" Why should my rank prevent the possibi- 
lity of my being happy ?" 

** Your Majesty's rank prevents the possibi- 
lity of your marrying Pauline ; and I should 
hope you would not dare to entertain disho- 
nourable views respecting her." 

" Dare ! dishonour ! Do you remember to 
whom you are speaking, Edric ?" 

** Perfectly ; for I have not forgotten Ro- 
derick, though he appears to have forgotten 
himself." 

" Edric ! But I won't be angry with you. 
When people are in love, they never mean 
what they say ; in fact, they very seldom know 
what they are talking about. I remember 
once when I was in love myself — ^" 

Alexis, who had waited at the entrance of 



32 THE MDMMY. 

the tent during the visit his master had paid 
to M. de Mallet, and was now following them, 
sighed heavily at this remark. Roderick heard 
him ; — ** What is the matter with the boy ?" 
said he : " Were you ever in love, Alexis ?^ 

The page sighed yet more deeply than before, 
and, crossing his arms upon his breast, bent his 
head in token of assent. 

" It is to be much lamented, you cannot tell 
us all about it,'' continued Roderick ; " for you 
could never choose a more fitting moment for 
such a tale ; as you may depend upon the sym- 
pathy of Mr. Montagu, even if I should be so 
barbarous as to refuse you mine : — 

' We pity faults to which we feel inclined. 
And to our proper failings can be kind ;' 

as one of your own rhymsters says. Eh, Edric ! 
Don't you think he 's right ?" 

" I think you are very provoking." 
'^ That is because I am touching upon a 
string that happens to be not quite in tune ; so 
no wonder it jars a little. Do you not remem- 
ber the old proverb — 



THE MUMMY. 88 

' Touch a man whosd skin is sounds 
He will stand and fear no wound : 
Touch a man when he is sore^ 
He will start and bear no more.' " 

** How can you condescend to repeat such 
nonsense ?^ cried Ediic, indignantly. *^ It is 
unworthy the poorest beggar in your domi* 
nions !^ 

^^ And how can you condescend to be moved 
at such nonsense, Edric?*^ replied Roderick, 
laughing. ^' Come, come ! own the truth, for 
it is useless to attempt any longer to deny it. 
Say, candidly, that you are in love with Made- 
moiselle de Mallet, and I will teaze you no 
longer.^' 

*^ In love is too strong a term. I admire, 
esteem, and respect Mademoiselle de Mallet. 
I even think her possessed of a thousand charms 
and a thousand virtues; but as to being in 
love '' 

^* Well, well, we will not quarrel about 
words. I do not think you will ever make a 
romantic lover. You Englishmen are too rea- 
soning and prudent ever to fall violently in 

c 5 



34 THE MUMMV. 

love. Your blood is as cold as your climate. 
Now we take the thing quite differently ; with 
us love is a devouring flame ! a fire that absorbs 
our whole being — a stream that sweeps every 
tiling before it — a madness — a delirium ! In 
short, I don^t know what it is P 

*' I think not,^ smd Edric, drily. 

^^ Psha, psha !'^ continued Roderick ; '* if it 
could be described, it would not be worth feel* 
ing It is all spirit! all soul! if you tie it 
down to rules, it evaporates. DonH you think 
so in Greece, Alexis ?^ 

The page bowed, and shaking his head, 
pressed his finger upon his lips. 

" True," returned his master ; ^* I had for- 
gotten : but if you cannot speak, you can write. 
Take these tablets, I should like to know your 
opinion." 

The page took the tablets, and wrote with 
astonishing rapidity — " Since your Majesty 
condescends to ask my opinion, I think that the 
love which can stay to reason, or hesitates to 
sacrifice every thing to the beloved object, does 
not deserve the name.'" 



THE MUMMY. 35 

" Bravo, my little hero P cried Roderick, 
tapping him upon the shoulder ; *^ spoken like 
a true Greek. An Irishman, however, wou)d 
have said nearly the same.^ 

The boy^s slender figure trembled in every 
nerve at his master'^s touch, and his cheeks were 
flushed with unwonted passion, though his eyes 
remained fixed upon the ground, from which 
indeed, he rarely raised them. Roderick gazed 
upon him a few minutes in silence, as though he 
wished to read his inmost soul. Then turning 
abruptly to Dr. Entwerfen, who had taken no 
part in the last conversation, he demanded gaily 
what he was thinking of. 

^' I was thinking, your Majesty,^' said the 
doctor, gravely, "that it is a long way from 
hence to Madrid, and that it will be very fEu 
tiguing for your men to march so far." 

" Upon my word, doctor," said Roderick, 
laughing, " you have really made a most sub- 
lime discovery, and I perfectly agree with you 
in the justice of your conclusions." 

" That being granted," continued the doc- 
tor, " if any means could be devised by which 



S6 THE MOMMY. 

your army could be transported to the gates of 
the city without the trouble of walking there, 
it would be a good thing.**' 

** Certainly,^ said the King ; *^ the fact does 
not admit of a dispute.^ 

** The only difficulty is to contrive how it is 
to be done,^ resumed the doctor, musing. 

" Ay, there's the rub," cried Roderick, 
laughing immoderately ; ^^ however, if any one 
can do it, I 'm sure you can, my dear doctor. 
So rally your energies, and consider the best 
means of commencing operations : I am sure, if 
you exert yourself, you cannot fail of success.^' 

" Your Majesty does me honour, and I will 
endeavour to prove I am not undeserving of 
the confidence you repose in me,^ said tKje lit- 
tle doctor, drawing up himself to his full height, 
and puffing out his cheeks as he walked on 
absorbed in meditation. ^* I have it,*^ cried he, 
suddenly stopping short ; *^ what does your 
Majesty think of an immense raft ?^ 

^' Excellent, my dear doctor ! I see but three 
objections to making one large enough to con- 



THE MUMMY. 37 

rey the whole army :— First, that we have no 
timber to make it of; — secondly, we have no 
horses to draw it ; — and thirdly, the roads are 
not wide enough to admit it." 

*' Balloons would do, but*we have them not,^ 
resumed the doctor, still profoundly cogitat- 
ing, with his eyes fixed upon the ground, and 
his hands in his breeches^ pockets. 

" What think you of packing the soldiers 
up in bombs, and shooting them out of ^mor- 
tars ?^ asked Roderick. 

" Your majesty is pleased to jest,*' ob- 
served the doctor gravely : ^' but ridicule Is not 
argument." 

" Certainly not,^ replied the King ; " and 
you mistake me greatly if you think I meant 
to ridicule the plan. I only wished to remark 
that I feared it would be rather difficult to put 
it in execution." 

*' That which can be accomplished without 
difficulty," said the doctor, solemnly, ^* is 
scarcely worth the trouble of undertaking, and 
is quite below the consideration of a man of 



38 THE MUMMY. 

genius. Difficulties to a man of science are but 
incentives to action.*^ 

** Most sensibly observed, my dear doctor," 
cried Roderick; " however, as we have now 
reached our tent, I must leave you to contrive 
some plan to bring us back from Madrid, as I 
am afraid we cannot wait now to put your de- 
signs in practice to enable us to get there : we 
must march with the dawn. Of course you will 
accompany us." 

" Certainly !" returned the doctor, still mus- 
ing; then muttering to himself—" I don't 
much like the plan of shooting off the soldiers, 
it would take such large mortars and so much 
gunpowder :— however, there is no knowing 
what might be done : I will think of it :" — he 
retired to his tent, though no sleep visited his 
eyes that night, so completely had the idea of 
packing up the soldiers in bombs taken posses- 
sion of his imagination. 

Roderick'*s arrangements were soon made, 
for Nature had certainly intended him for a 
general. His intelligent mind foresaw every 
thing, and provided against every contingency. 



THE MUMMY. 89 

Brave in the field, and prudent in council, 
the onl^ fault of Roderick as a soldier was 
that he sometimes suffered himself to be carried 
away by his ardour when it would have been 
wiser to delay. But this very impetuosity 
had its charms in the eyes of his soldiers, as he 
never hesitated to expose himself to the same 
dangers or to undergo the same privations 
as themselves, and they would all have fol- 
lowed him willingly into the very jaws of 
destruction. 

After arranging every thing for the mom- 
ing^s march, the Irish hero snatched a few hours 
of repose. With the dawn, however, the drums 
beat the reveill^e, and the Irish army left 
Andalusia to advance by rapid marches upon 
Madrid. 



40 THE MUMMY. 



CHAPTER II. 

Whilst these scenes were taking place in 
Spain, Elvira was beginning to discover, in 
England, that it was not quite so delightful to 
be a Queen as she had previously imagined. 
The contending parties in the state had been 
roused into action by the late struggle, and 
pai'ty spirit is of all others the most difficult to 
conquer. Besides^ this, the choice of Elvira 
having been rather a matter of feeling than of 
judgment, men felt dissatisfied at having suf- 
fered themselves to be hurried away by their 
passions, and, as is usual in such cases, they 
were disposed to vent the ill-humour they felt 
at their own conduct upon every thing which 
chanced to fall in their way. Thus, even the 



THE MUMMY. 41 

best measures of Elvira^s government were 
warmly criticised ; and as she unfortunately 
altered some of her laws in consequence of 
these objections, the critics were encouraged 
to proceed ; and fancying her compliance to be 
the result of weakness, when it was^ in fact, 
only produced by her natural candour and love 
of justice, the people became more outrageous 
and troublesome with every concession that was 
made to them. 

Elvira's intentions were excellent, but by un- 
fortunately wishing to please every one, she de- 
stroyed their effect. This made her councils 
"vacillating, and her measures uncertain : no- 
thing indeed but the strength of mind and com- 
manding genius of Edmund, joined to his com- 
plete devotion to her cause, could have pre- 
vented the ruin of her government almost in 
the moment of its formation. From a mis- 
taken motive of generosity, she had retained in 
her council those lords who had most vehe- 
mently opposed her, though, in compliance 
with the wishes of Edmund, they were shorn 
of their beams. This was a fatal error ; half 



24 THE MUMMY. 

measures are always dangerous: the lords in 
question should have been discarded altogether, 
or retained in their former seats; as it was, 
Elvira had made them enemies, and yet left 
them the power to sting her. 

The emissaries of Rosabella were also very 
active, and the ferment of the public mind ex- 
cessive. The taste the people had just enjoyed 
of power, had only been enough to make them 
long for more. They had only just began to 
relish its sweets, when the dish was snatched 
away from them ; though, if it had been left 
them to devour, they would have soon been 
cloyed and disgusted with its taste. Discon- 
tents became general, disturbances arose, which 
were no sooner quelled in one quarter than they 
broke out in another, and these petty insurrec- 
tions, though almost too trivial to mention, 
were excessively annoying. For trifling incon- 
veniences, like a host of flies buzzing round 
a nervous man on a sultry day, are often more 
irritating to the temper, than serious grievances ; 
and the noble mind of Edmund was wearied in 
subduing such paltry enemies. 



THE MUMMY. 43 



cc 



They want employment,^ said he one day 
to the Queen, after reading a dispatch contain- 
ing an account of one of Uie most vexatious of 
these tumults; ^^you must build bridges and 
cut canals to amuse them." 

The active mind of Elvira caught eagerly at 
the idea, and die vainly fancied her name would 
be handed down to posterity as one of the great- 
est of Queens, who, though in the bloom of 
youth and pride of beauty, did not hesitate to 
sacrifice herself for the good of her peoplci and 
to devote that time to their welfare and the 
improvement of her kingdom, which others of 
her age and rank wasted in mere amusements. 

Delighted with the thought, Elvira did not 
delay a moment before she prepared to put it 
in practice ; and she was found for several days 
together constantly surrounded by her coun- 
sellors, and seated at a table absolutely loaded 
with papers, which she was busily employed 
in inspecting and arranging. 

Plans for the erection of public buildings, 
for hospitals, bridges, museums, and churches, 
schemes for new manufactories, hints for esta- 



44 THE MUMMY. 

blishmeDts conducire to the public good, 
and sketches of discoveries which were to pro- 
duce wonders, lay in heaps before her ; mixed 
with addresses of compliments, votes of thanks, 
complaints of grievances, petitions, secret infor- 
mations ; and in short all that multifarious col- 
lection of paper, with which a monarch is sure 
to be surrounded who is said to be anxious to 
ameliorate the condition of his people, or who 
is unhappily reported to possess a genius for 
improvement 

Unfortunate is the man possessed of power, 
of whom such reports are current. He is 
directly surrounded by projectors, each pre- 
senting a scheme more futile than that of his 
predecessor ; and discontented dependants, each 
bringing a long list of grievances, half of 
which are imaginary, but which have been 
conjured up by the complainants that they 
may not lose the precious right they enjoy of 
complaining. 

Unhappy he whose fate obliges him to de- 
cide between the rival claimants ! certain alike 



THE MUMMY. 45 

to be blamed, if he give or refuse ; if he ac- 
cept, or if he reject ! 

Elvira had not yet found the evils of power ; 
but she now tasted of its sweets, and was en- 
chanted. It seemed to her the most delight- 
ful thing in the world to hold in her hands the 
destinies of thousands of her fellow-creatures ; 
and she thought not of the heavy responsibility 
it entailed, nor bow often her path would be 
followed by curses instead of blessings. Some 
one has said that every time a sovereign con- 
fers a favour, he makes one ungrateful subject 
and nine discontented ones; but Elvira and 
Edmund as yet had not discovered the truth 
of this maxin. Since their present plan had 
been suggested, every thing with them had been 
the couleur de rose. I say, them; for Edmund 
was associated with Elvira in all these gigantic 
schemes of improvement ; for as he had con- 
ceived the first idea of them, so it was he only 
who could carry them into execution. His 
active mind required something to employ it ; 
and the same strong feelings which had formerly 



46 THE MUMMY. 

been devoted to love and glory, were now- 
turned into another channel. 

The energies of Elvira'^s mind had also been 
awakened by the struggle for the crown, and 
the passion inspired in her breast by the 
youthful stranger; and she now felt that she 
could not quietly return again to the common- 
place stillness of every-day life. The passions 
when once roused from their dormant state, 
must have something to occupy them, or they 
will prey upon themselves. Thus we generally 
see great warriors, or statesmen, or in fact any 
class of men who have passed their lives in 
activity, wither away when forced to the dull- 
ness of an obscure retirement; their minds 
and bodies decay alike from want of stimulants 
to call them into action. 

The improvement of her people supplied 
this stimulus to the mind of Elvira, — but alas ! 
she entered upon it rather with passion than 
judgment, and had not patience to wait to 
see her plans gradually carried into effect -{' — 
No — no — she could not endure any thing slow : 
with her every thing must be done by a coup 



THE MUMMY. 47 

de main ; and as the people and the buildings 
were so stupid as not to be made perfect by the 
first attempt, she was continually disappointed 
and discouraged. In fact, by attempting to do 
too much, she did nothing. 

When Elvira ascended the throne, she deter- 
mined no public act should take place without 
the approbation of her council; and these noble 
lords were one day debating upon the pro- 
priety of a new road, that was proposed to 
intersect the entire kingdom at right angles, 
when Lord Gustavus de Montfort rose to 
oppose it, upon the ground of the injury it 
would do to private property if carried into 
effect. 

Elvira could not endure Lord Gustavus: his 
cold, prudent, calculating manner, without a 
single spark of imagination, disgusted her be- 
yond description ; and the only good quality he 
possessed, that of being indefatigable in follow- 
ing up his point, completed her abhorrence- 
Wit and eloquence were quite thrown away 
upon him, for he understood neither the one 
nor the other ; and when ^ny new or brilliant 



48 THE MUMMY. 

scheme crossed Elvira^s imagination, and she de^ 
scribed it to her council with all the fire of 
genius and animation, there he sat with his 
calm, cold unvarying countenance, ready to 
damp it with a doubt. Lord Maysworth also 
was her aversion; his narrow mind, which 
could only take in such trifles as escape the 
observation of men of genius; his mean and 
paltry spirit, and his grovelling ambition, were 
all her detestation; whilst Lord Noodle and 
Lord Doodle, who, though ciphers in them- 
^Ives, yet, like their prototypes, prodigiously 
increased the weight of the figures placed before 
them, completed the group. 

Much, however, as Elvira disliked these mem- 
bers of her council, she felt unequal to resist 
their combined influence ; and she was just upon 
the point of being teased into their opinions 
contrary to her own judgment, when Lord Ed- 
mund entered the room. Indescribable was the 
eflect produced by his presence ; for indeed his 
commanding talents swayed all before them ; 
and Elvira could not help smiling when she 
saw her counsellors of state shake their wise 



THE MUMMY. 49 

heads, and imagine they were assisting the 
debate witli their wisdom, whilst, in fact, they 
were mere tools in his powerful hands. It is 
true they were the agents that produced the 
intended effect ; but his was the master-spirit 
which set them in motion, and taught them 
where to go. His powerful intellect caught in 
an instant the comparative merits and disad- 
vantages of the plan now in discussion, and his 
nod decided its fate ; whilst the council, though 
they implicitly obeyed his will, had not the 
least idea that they were doing so ; as he had 
the address so to form his opinions, as to let each 
person imagine them the suggestions of his own 
breast. 

Whilst the principal personages in the cabi- 
net, fancying they were leading, were thus 
blindly led, the nonentities of course followed 
in their train, and our old friends, the lords of 
ancient family, were perfectly astonished when 
they heard the magnificent plans and sagacious 
councils attributed ta them, and sate quite lost 
in admiration of their own wisdom, whilst their 
little heads and enormous perriwigs kept bobn' 

VOL. III. D 



CO THIS MUMIfT. 

bing with at least threefold their accustomed 
rapidity. 

Elvira^s accession to the throne had induced 
both her father and Sir Ambrose to leave the 
country; the duke inhabiting his former pa- 
lace, and Sir Ambrose taking possession of a 
moveable house in its immediate neighbour- 
hood, where the worthy Baronet found himself 
perfectly happy in the society of his old friend, 
and his pretty niece. 

*' I begin to repent that my daughter is a 
Queen/^ said the duke to Sir Ambrose, one 
night after supper, when the whole party were 
sitting cosily round the fire in Sir Ambrose^s 
library. " I have not half the enjoyments I 

used to have when I could have more of her 

society. Now when I see her, it is but for an 
*■ instant, and she can scarcely stay to ask me 

how I do, before she flies off to some of her new 

plans of improvement^^ 

" The face of the country will be quite 

changed in a few years, if all the plans of the 

Queen prosper,* said Father Morris in his 

usual smooth hypocritical mannen 



THE MUMHV. 51 

*' I hope not !^ eried Sir Ambrose ; *' I hope 
it's no treason, duke — ^but I must confess I wisb 
your daughter had never been Queen, if she 
ean^t leave things as they are.*^ 

*• I am pretty much of your opinion : they 
are such wildgoose schemes that she takes into 
her head !^ said the duke piteously. *^ Only 
ima^ne. Sir Ambrose, she showed me this 
morning a plan for making aerial bridges to 
convey heavy weights from one steeple to ano- 
ther ; a machine for stamping shoes and boots 
at one blow out of a solid piece of leather ; a 
steam-engine for milking cows ; and an elastic 
Aummer-house that might be folded up so as 
to be put into a man^s pocket T 

^' It is really provoking ; and Edmund is 
quite as scheming and visionary. I absolutely 
think, if we were both to die, they would not 
feel more than a temporary uneasiness at our 
loss, their minds are so completely occupied in 
these gigantic projects.^ 

** I fear so indeed ; all things were otherwise 
formerly, I remember the time,'' &c. 

But why detail their reminiscences ; it may 

D 9 



52 THE UVUUY. 

be easily imagined how comfortably two old 
men would amuse themselves over a good fire, 
commenting on the glorious days when they 
were young ; when all went right, or, what was 
nearly the same thing, when all appeared to 
them to do so ; quite forgetting that age has 
other eyes than youth, and that the change was 
in themselves, not the times: we have other 
things to attend to. Clara was at a splendid 
party given by Elvira, and Father Morris soon 
left the duke^s library to join her. 

It was a ball; and the splendid court of 
Claudia seemed yet more brilliant under the 
reign of her successor. It was the first time 
Clara had ever been at court, and the effect the 
gorgeous magnificence of the scene had upon 
her was powerful in the extreme. She forgot 
her cares, her sadness, and her love — all seemed 
enchantment; and the old lady, who acted 
as her chaperone, was quite horrorized at her 
gaucherie. 

Brilliant as all was, however, the lovely 
gc^dess of the temple far exceeded even the 
splendour of the shrine ; and the beholders 



THE MUMMY. 08 

gazed upon her with indescribable rapture 
Beautiful as the fairy image of a dream ; kind, 
affable, and condescending, Elvira glided 
through the crowd, followed by her suite to the 
concert-room. Here, all that the imagination 
of man could devise of harmony, enchanted the 
ears. But harsh was every other sound to that 
which stole upon the senses when Elvira was 
induced to forget her rank and mingle her voice 
with the music. 

Elvira^s singing was perfection : " clear as 
a trumpet with a silver sound ;^* the round full 
notes now swelled upon the ear in liquid 
melody, and then died away, soft and sweety 
yet distinct even in their faintest strains. 
Prince Ferdinand was at her side, and his 
ardent gaze bespoke the intenseness of his 
admiration. Elvira had not before seen 
him since the night when her conversation 
with him had so powerfully excited the jea- 
lousy of Edmund; and as she now observed 
his manner had again attracted Edmund^s 
attention, she blushed yet more deeply than 
before. 



54 THS MVMHY. 

Edmund aaW h^ bloabes; and stung al* 
most to madneas by the sight, rushed vidently 
out of the tdom. 

The night was cold and damp, a drizzlii^ 
mist fell fast, and that peculiar chill which 
marks the first approaches of winter, hung in 
the air; but Lord Edmqnd thought not of 
the weather, and he strode bar^eaded through 
the palace-gardens with hurried steps and th^ 
actions of a maniac; whilst the thick gloom 
which pervaded the sky, contrasted fearfully 
with the brilliantly illuminated apartment he 
had just quitted. The gloominess of the scene* 
however, harmonized well with Edmund's feel«- 
ings; he felt soothed insensibly; and though he 
still stalked moodily backwards and forwards, 
he became gradually more calm. 

" Ungrateful woman,^ thought he, ** to treat 
me thus! Does she not owe every thing to 
me ? I could bear her coldness ; I could re- 
sign her to a throne ; but the idea of her lov* 
ing another drives me to distraction! — Curses 
€Xi that fiend ! that detested Mummy ! It must 
be by his infernal arts that Ferdinand has 



THS MUMKY4 55 

triumphed: for Elvira eyidently loves him, 
ber blushes tell her pas»on: and Elvirar^ 
the CGfld, the chaste Elvira could never give, 
her love thus^ — thus almost unsolicited, and 
at first sight), if it were not the work c^ magic 
The fiend threatened to be revenged when I 
refused his proferred aid, and spumed him 
from me ; his impious arts have prospered, 
and I am wretched, yet still I do not repent, 
and still if he knelt before me I would trample 
him beneath my feet. By Heaven, I would 
risk my soul for vengeance on that demon V^ 

As he spoke, his eyes fell upon a thicket 
near him, and he fanded he saw the figure 
of a man, half obscured by the mist, emerge 
from its gloomy recesses. He gazed intently^ , 
and the figure glided slowly on with cat-like, 
creeping steps. The mind of Edmund wafe 
worked up to frenzy — ^he almost fancied a 
demon had appeared obedient to his wish, to 
receive his pledge, and work his bidding. 
** Speak r cried he, in a voice that sounded 
fearfully amidst the surrounding stiUness^H- 
*' Speak I art thou a demon, or a mortal ?^' 



66 THE MUMMT. 

All was nlent : the figure glided on ; and 
Lord Edmund, oppressed by supernatural ter- 
rors, and shuddering at the sound of his own 
voice, could bear no more ; he darted upon the 
figure, and grasping it roughly, he exclaimed, 
*^ Man or devil, I fear thee not, and thus will I 
grapple with thee." 

" Gently, my son,'* replied the well-kngwu 
voice of Father Morris ; ^* in what have I of- 
fended you ?*' 

^' Pardon, holy father,*' returned Edmund, 
•^ I knew you not— I knew not what I did — my 
passion blinded me.** 

^^And what has caused this passion? The 
mind of Edmund is too noble to be lightly 
moved.** 

^^ Oh, talk not of the nobleness of my mind, 
father ! I feel I am but a poor weak wornK 
Nobleness belongs to God alone; 'tis blas- 
phemy to apply the term to man.** 

" Tell me your grievances : they must, I 
am sure, be great, or they would not thus af*. 
feet you. It is my holy office to console afflic- 
tion. Speak then, my son ; for remember, that 



THE mummy; 57 

though joy is doubled by being partaken, grief 
is lessened by being shared, and woe robbed of 
half its bitterness.^ 

^* I have little to confess, father* I was 
weak and foolish ; but Elvira — ** 

** And are you astonished at a woman's fickle- 
ness ? Light as the eider down, and unstable as 
the changing wind, inconstancy is natural tp^ 
the sex — they crave incessantly for novelty ; — 
and as vanity is their only real passion, if that 
be gratified they ask no more/ 

*^ And has not Elvira's vanity been gratified 
even to satiety ? Have I not idolized, wor- 
shipped her ? Was it not my power that made 
her what she is ? And is this my reward ? 
To be scorned, deserted, laughed at ! — ^and for 
what ? A stranger ! — a boy ! — my prisoner !" 

" Whom do you mean ?" asked the friar. 

"Prince Ferdinand," returned Edmund. 

" Impossible !^' cried Father Morris, start- 
ing with well-feigned astonishment. " Elvira 
cannot, surely, love Prince Ferdinand ! And 
yet, now I recollect, I saw her talking to 
him, even now, with an appearance of deep 

d5 



S8 TBS UVKUr^ 

interest, when I passed through her splendid 
dbambers." 

^' Damnation !'' exclaimed Lord Edmund ve- 
hemently) driven to distraction by this speech ; 
for strange to tell, though we may be certain of 
the reality of our own sufferings, they idways 
seem to come with double poignancy when we 
hear them related by another. 

*^ Calm yourself, my son,^ said Father Mor- 
ris in his silky tones, eyeing him with about 
as much compassion as an angler feels for the 
writhing of a worm upon his hook. *' These 
bursts of passion are unworthy of you.**' 

^^ Oh, father t^ cried Edmund, softened almost 
into tears, ^^ you know not how I loved that wo- 
man. Your grave, serious feelings, disciplined 
by the restraint of a cloister, mortified by your 
renunciation of all earthly pleasures, can form no 
idea of the depth and fierceness of mina. Your 
passions, father, are dead within y^^; subdued 
by holy penitence to calmness ; but mine rage 
with the fury of a volcano, and destroy me ! Oh, 
that my fond attachment, my long devoted ser- 
vices, my adoration, should be thus rewarded. 



N** 



THE wjuur* fiO 

Ye(5— my adoration^ for I have adored ber, 
fatberl I wordupped her like a goddess; and 
though I doted on her charms, and would have 
endured unbeard-^f torm^aits to have been blest 
with their possession, yet, did I not saorifite 
my hopes ? — did I not relinquish the treasure 
when just within my grasp, because her happi-^ 
ness was dearer to me than my own? And 
now to see her lavish her favours on that boy ! 
She smiled upon him, father, and he dared to 
take her hand and press it to his lips. I saw 
him kiss it, not with the calm respect of a 
kneeling subject, but with the fervour, the im^ 
passioned :^dour of a lover; and then he look- 
ed at her — curses on the thought i— and she did 
not repiove; but, casting down her eyes, softly 
blushed coBseat. Damnation { I cannot en- 
dure it.'' 

^' Passion, my son, entails its own punishment. 
You see every thing with a juindiced eye. 
Elvira's nature is gentle and yielding ; she 
feared to hurt his feelings by her harshness. 
'Tis but the natural consequence of that very 
softness you so often have admired* Why 



GO TRB 1i0MMT. 

should you quarrel with it now ? 'tis still the 
same that charmed you, save that it is now ex- 
tended to another, and will be soon, no doubt,' 
to all the world. Elvira has been educated in 
retirement, and, seeing only yourself and Edric, 
you thought her conduct was the eflPect of par- 
tiality for you, when in fact it was but her na- 
tural manner. She is now upon a larger theatre ; 
and you must expect to see myriads of kneeling 
victims worship her beauty, and pay homage at 
her feet ! And do you suppose she will be dis- 
pleased at their attention ? No ; she is far too 
gentle ; she has no firmness ; and the same sub- 
mission she now pays to you, she will, if you 
offend her, easily transfer to another. She is 
not formed to govern ; she would obey and be 
happy ; but the weight of government would 
overwhelm her if she were left alone to sustain 
it. Shake o£P, then, these selfish feelings, and 
be again yourself. You have often said, you 
only wished her happiness ; and if that be the 
case, even if she should really love Prince 
Ferdinand, you ought to rejoice to see her 
in his arms.^^ 



THE UVUUY. 61 

^^ Sooner would I perisb^ sooner would I 
involve all in one universal ruin ! But it is 
impossible ; she scarcely knows him.*" 

** And if it were so, still you would be wrong 
to blame Elvira for what, in fact, she cannot 
help. Her yielding softness is the defect of 
her character.'^ 

^* Fool that I was ! that very softness caught 
me, and my fond heart fell captive to its chains. 
But it was folly, infatuation ! I see my error ; 
Rosabella has more character. She can love."*^ 

Lord Edmund crossed his arms upon his 
breast and was soon lost in a reverie^ which 
Father Morris was careful not to interrupt, 
but which was broken by the approach of 
Trevors, his lordship's aid-de-camp and se- 
cretary. 

^' What do you want?^ asked Lord Edmund, 
sternly. 

**I came to seek your Lordship. I feared 
you were unwell, as I missed your Lordship 
from the party." 

'* You missed me 1*^ repeated Lord Edmund, 
bitterly. ^* You missed me! and did no one 



CS THE MUMMY. 

else diacoyer my absence ? Was it so marked 
that my servant could observe it^ and yet no 
one else ?^' 

** Did not the Queen inquire for IxMrd Ed- 
mund ?" asked Father Morris* 

^' I did not hear her Majesty,^ replied Tre* 
vors. 

^* How was she engaged ? what was she do> 
ing ?" demanded Lord Edmund. 

*^ She was ntting, talking to Prince Ferdi* 
nand, my Lord.*^ 

Lord Edmund gnashed his teeth together, 
grinding them with fury, and rushed back to 
the house without speaking, whilst Trevors fol- 
lowed at an humble distance. 

^* He has it !'' cried Father Morris triumph- 
antly—'^ he has it, and he is mine for ever !^ 

Several days elapsed from this period b^ore 
Elvira again saw Lord Edmund. She was sur- 
prised at his absence ; as indeed he was so in- 
terwoven in her schemes and plans, that nothing 
went on well without him. 

" Will your Majesty have the goodness to 



THE MVMMY. 68 

affix the royal seal to this ordioance ?^ asked 
I^rd Gustavus one morning. 

" I don't know," replied Elvira. " I catf t 
tell what to do. I wish Lord Edmund were 
here.^ 

*' He may soon be sent for/' said Lord Gus-> 
tavus pompously ; ^* though, with all due de- 
ference to your Majesty's better judgment, it 
does not appear to me that his presence is ex- 
actly requisite.'' 

liord Edmund, however, was summoned, 
and he came. But oh ! how changed since El- 
vira had seen him last ! His face looked pale 
and thin, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes 
hollow and heavy, whilst his deep voice sound- 
ed hoarse and unnaturaL Passion had passed 
through his soul, and withered as it went. EU 
vira's heart smote her as she gazed upon him. 

*^ You have been ill, Edmund r said she, in 
tones of melting softness. *' Why was I not 
informed ! Surely you could not think I would 
willingly neglect you ? Could you judge so 
harshly of me ?" 



64 THE HUMMT. 

The firm breast of Edmund softened as she 
spoke, and tears swam in his eyes as he strug- 
gled to reply with calmness — ^yes, tears; tlie 
brave, the warlike Edmund, whose strength of 
mind and firmness had resisted unequalled dan- 
gers, now trembled before a woman. 

" You must have some advice,** continued 
Elvira. *^ Dr. Coleman, Dr. Hardman, can you 
not prescribe for your patient ?" 

" His Lordship appears feverish," said Dr. 
Coleman. ^* No doubt he has rested ill.'* 

" Yes — yes,** rejoined Dr. Hardman, with a 
malignant smile. ^^ His Lordship's eyes betray 
his want of rest.*' 

^^ I have been slightly indisposed,** said 
Lord Edmund, rallying his spirits to speak : 
" but I am better. Is there any thing in 
which my services can be useful to your Ma- 
jesty r 

*^ Her Majesty wishes you to inspect this 
bill,** replied Lord Gustavus solemnly, ** before 
she gives it her royal assent.** 

Lord Edmund*s eyes sparkled. " Then she 



TH£ HUMMY. 65 

still thinks my opinion of importance,**^ thought 
he. 

*^ Lord Edmund^s illness, I hope, is passed,*' 
said Dr. Hardman maliciously ; '^ for he cer^ 
tainly looks better even since he came into the 
room." 

Lord Edmund was better; a sudden revul- 
sion of feeling had taken place within him, and 
hope was again illumined in his bosom. Passion 
again rushed through his soul. ** She must, 
she shall, be mine," thought he, whilst fire 
flashed from his eyes. ^* She loves me, and she 
shaU yet be my wife. The hated law which 
prevents her marriage shall be repealed. Diffi- 
culties only increase the value of the prize, and 
they vanish before a determined spirit. What ! 
shall I, before whose arm whole nations have 
fallen vanquished, shrink like a coward from 
the first trouble which assails me ! Oh, no ! 
I will not be so weak ; oppontion shall only 
animate my courage. Treasures would be 
scarcely worth acceptance if they lay beneath 
one^s feet— « brave man spurns an easy victory ! 



66 THS MUMMY. 

I will exert my powers, and Elvira shall be 
mine.^ 

Father Mcmris was at the l^vee, and be 
watched with anxious eyes the fluctuations in 
Edmunds's expressive countenance* ^' Perdi- 
tion seize her beauty !^ muttered he ; ** with 
one look she undoes whole m(mths of labour. 
But he shall yet be nodne — Cheops has sworn 
he shall^ — and Rosabella shall be Queen. Be 
the Mummy mortal or fiend, he is resistless ; he 
has unbounded power over the human heart, 
and what he wills must be accomplished.'^ 

Some weeks elapsed, during which Lord 
Edmund, restored to his former influence in the 
government, laboured assiduously to prepare 
the minds of the people for abolishing the law 
which prevented the marriage of the Queen. 
With the greatest care he endeavoured to inake 
Elvira popular. For this piu'pose he persuaded 
her to remit those burthens which weighed most 
heavily upon the people, replacing them by 
taxes levied in a more indirect way ; for the 
mass of a population seldom grumbles at ttoa^ 
tion, unless it see the trifles for which it pays ; 



THE MUMMY. 67 

and men do not regard the giving double th^ 
real value of a commodity a tenth part so 
much, as paying even a small direct sum for 
the use of any of the common necessaries of 
life. 

By judiciously acting upcm this principle, 
Edmund made himself adored; and whispers 
even were buzzed about, lamenting that he was 
not King. This was the point to which Ed- 
mund had wished to bring the people; and 
he pursued his plan by supporting the poor 
^^gainst the rich, and rigorously punishing the 
magistrates or ofiScers of justice who attempted 
to be guilty of oppression. The multitude ge- 
nerally hate those entrusted with the execution 
of the laws^ perhaps upon the same principle 
as the. blee^ng culprit abhors the sight of the 
whip that has flogged him; and their natural 
conceit and presumption were flattered by the 
attention paid to their complaints ; till, by his 
judicious management. Lord Edmund found 
he had obtained the entire devotion of the mob, 
and could wield them at his pleasure. 

Time rolled on, and winter had already 



70 THB MUMMY. 

and the law which prevented the marriage of 
the Sovereign being abolished, Edmund will 
become her husband — if not from love, at least 
fjTom ambition."" 

*^ O Cheops ! 'tis useless to resist — we are thy 
slaves,— do with us as thou wilt.^ 

" Say rather you are slaves of your own 
passions,'^ murmured the Mummy; and they 
parted. 

It was a clear frosty day in December, when 
Elvira, scarcely knowing why, wandered into 
the garden belonging to her splendid palace of 
Somerset House ; and, entering a pavilion, re- 
clined upon a couch placed opposite to a win- 
dow which commanded a view of the river. The 
pavillion was decorated with the utmost taste. 
Its windows, opening to the ground, were 
shaded with curtains of gossamer net, lined 
with pink ; the walls were beautifully painted, 
and divided into pannels by highly ornamented 
columns ; books, drawings, and musical instru- 
ments were scattered around; whilst tripods, 
supporting vases filled with the rarest exotic 



TUB MUMMT. 69 

thou, wretch ! detested hideous wretch ! thou 
too shall feel its vengeance i'^ 

" This to your friend !"" said Cheops with a 
bitter smile : ^' fie ! fie ! How blind is human 
reason when the passions intervene ! — All is for 
the best — ^have patience; wait a little, and my 
promises will yet be accomplished.^ 

^ If Elvira had died,'^ murmured Father 
Morris, a dark frown gathering upon his brow. 

" You would not be now alive,'' said the 
Mummy. ^^ But fear not, all is as you can 
wish.'' 

" As we can wish ?" cried Rosabella in- 
dignantly. 

" Yes, as you can wish," returned Cheops 
firmly. " Edmund has obtained permission 
for Elvira to marry any natural born subject 
of the realm ; but she will not wed him, for she 
loves another, and that other is a foreigner. 
He will be enraged at her refusal, and jealousy 
will alienate him from her cause. He will then 
naturally espouse that of her rival from am- 
bition and revenge. Rosabella will be Queen, 



72 THE MUMMY. 

his name: his countenance beaming joy, and 
hope dancing in his eyes. 

•^ Oh, Elvira r he cried, " you are now mine 
— ^mine for ever ! The people permit you to 
marry. The lords in council have signed the 
law ; the people have proclaimed it with accla- 
mations. You are free ! you are no longer 
• debarred from the inestimable pleasures of do- 
mestic life — ^you are independent — you may 
marry any natural bom subject of the realm, 
and will you now be mine ?" 

^^ And so relinquish my independence the 
moment I obtain it," said Elvira, smiling. 

" Oh, my loved I my adored Elvira ! consent 
to make me happy ! Believe me you shall be 
free, and still as much a Queen as at this mo- 
ment."*' 

" Edmund !^' said Elvira seriously, " you 
deserve more than I can give you ; for I will 
not insult you by supposing you would be sa- 
tisfied with the possession of my crown without 
my heart ; — and that it is not in my power to 
bestow.'' 

" My dearest Elvira, you but fancy this. I 



THS MUMMY. f^ 

know your feelings are warm, your sensibility 
acute, and your generosity unbounded — can 
you then want a heart ?"" 

'* Alas, no I but I have discovered I possess 
cxie, only in time to know also that I have 
given it to another.'' 

" And is that other a youth and a stranger ?^' 
asked her lover, gasping for breath. 

*' He is,^ replied Elvira, blushing, and look- 
ing down, 

** Then, indeed, I am wretched !'' cried Lord 
Edmund ; and, striking his clenched hand vehe- 
mently against his forehead, he darted out of 
the room. 

Elvira gazed after him with a feeling almost 
amounting to horror. Terrified at the strength 
of the passions she had awakened, she appeared 
stupified, and stood looking like a child who 
bad accidentally cut the string which confined 
the wheels of some powerful machinery, on hear- 
ing its fearful clatter above its head. 

*' Oh, madam, madam !*^ cried Emma, wring- 
ing her hands, *^ what will become of us ? Your 
Majesty has offended Lord Edmund for ever.'' 

VOL. III. £ 



74 THE MUMMY. 

^' Peace, Emma !^ said Elvira, ^' you forget 
my rank — ^I will not be dictated to.^ 

<< Pardon me, dear madam,, you know I love 
you, and — " 

^' I know, also, that you presume upon my 
love. Begone f 

Emma obeyed, and Elvira was left alone. 

Dreadfully agitated, and quite unable to 
compose ' herself or arrange the chaos of her 
thoughts, she walked to the windows of the 
pavilion, and, opening one of them, looked out 
upon the gardens. It is already said that these 
delightful grounds were thrown open to the 
public ; bui,^in consequence of the ease with 
which they might be enjoyed, a few half-pay 
officers^ attorneys without clients, physicians 
without patients, clergymen looking out for 
livings, hissed players, disappointed authors and 
discarded servants, alone strolled through their 
romantic walks, and paused occasionally to gaze 
upon the beautiful works of art with which 
they were decorated. The English were now 
decidedly the first sculptors in the world. Che- 
mical preparations alone being used to supply 



light and heat, smd^e was unknown, and the 
atmosphere being no l(»ager thick and cloudy, 
marble boz^ exposure to it without material 
injury. Beddes this, perhaps no nation in the 
world produced more beautiful modeb of male 
and female beauty than Engl^id ; and now that 
the women had long thrown off those .deformers 
of the human ^lape ycleped stays, their forms 
developed themselves into perfect symmetry. 
Elvira, however, thoug}it not of the gardens, 
nor of the works of art they contained ; yet as 
she stood at the window, though absorbed in 
her own reflections, her eyes rested upon the 
exquisite statues before her. The inanimate 
marble seemed endowed vrith soul and spirit, 
whilst the graceful forms it represented seemed 
to pause only for a moment, and to be ready 
to start again into life and action after a short 
repose-— in short, they appeared to breathe; 
and the spectator felt almost surprised, when 
his eye had turned from them, to find them 
still in the same attitude when he looked 

again* 

The river was frozen, and persons glided 

£2 



76 THE MUMHY. 

along it in glittering iraineuXf or skated 
gracefully with infinite variety of movement; 
whilst, every now and then, a steam-percussion 
moveable bridge shot across the stream, loaded 
with goods and passengers, collapsing again the 
instant its burthen was safely landed on the 
other side. 

Pleased with the busy scene around her, 
Elvira stood and gazed, till half her troubles 
seemed to vanish, and a pleasing train of 
thought crept over her mind. " What have I 
done ?^^ thought she, — " and yet I do not re- 
pent. — No, no! I could not act otherwise. 
The noble and devoted love of Edmund de- 
served my warmest gratitude, and I have done 
right to own the truth to him, painful as it 
has been to me to do so, rather than torture 
his generous bosom by exciting hopes I never 
meant to realize. Yes, I have done right,'' re- 
peated she aloud ; '^ and I am perfectly satis- 
fied with my conduct." 

" Then you have' reason to be contented,'' 
said the deep voice of Cheops, immediately 



THE MUMMY. 77 

behind her ; '^ for few indeed are the mortals 
who can say that with justice !^^ 

The solemn tones of the Mummy sank 
like a foreboding of evil upon the heart of 
Elvira, and she shuddered involuntarily, 

" You think I have done wrong then ?^ 
said she. 

** I did not say that/ returned he calmly. — 
'^ But had I not known the sex, I might per- 
chance have felt surprised that you should 
avow, unasked for, a secret to Lord Edmund, 
which you have sedulously endeavoured to keep 
concealed even from me.'^ 

" Alas,'' cried Elvira, *' my motives — ^ 

" Were those of a woman," interrupted 
Cheops; "a being fated to work mischief. 1 
do not blame you; for you have only acted 
according to your natural instinct:'' 

** What do you mean ?" asked Elvira, turn- 
ing pale and trembling, for the words of the 
Mummy created an undefinable dread upon her 
mind. 

" Listen !" said Cheops, " and I will tell 



78 THE MUMXT. 

yoa.^^If you had confided your secret to me, it 
would have produced good, for I should have 
aided your passion, and I cannot give assists 
ance indeas it be required ; — but by telling it 
to Lord Edmund you have produced evil, for 
he mistakes your lover for another, and the 
consequences may be fatal. Thus, it is clear 
that you could not have done otherwise than 
as you have ; for when was a woman known to 
hesitate, between good and evilj and not choose 
the latter P'' 

^^ Mistakes my lover for another !^ ex- 
claimed Elvira. ^^ For Gk>d's sake, explain 
yourself T 

" He thinks you meant Prince FerdinOTd/' 
said the Mummy coldly, '* and he is now seek- 
ing him in order to destroy him.^ 

« Oh, God !~0h, Gt^d !'' cried Elvhra in the 
bitterest agony : ^^ what will become of me ? 
where is Edmund ! Let me fly to implore him 
to spare the prince !" 

^' It does not appear to me,^^ said Cheops 
still more calmly, <^ that your endeavours to 
preserve him are at all likely to produce the 



THE MUMMY. 79 

efibct you wish ; for, as Lord Edmand already 
believes you love the prince, and as that belief 
is the reason of his hatred, your showing a vi- 
olent anxiety for his welfare does not appear to 
me exactly the mode most calculated to destroy 
his suspicions/' 

" True ! true l*^ cried Elvira, wringii^ her 
hands. ** Alas ! alas i what will become of 
me P*^ whilst, as she spoke, a piercing cry rang 
in her ears, and a sudden rush of all the per- 
sons in the gardens took place towards one 
particular spot. Scarcely knowing what she did, 
Elvira followed the crowd, and shrieked with 
indescribable terror as she heard the clashing 
of swords. Pale and trembling, she hurri^ 
forward, and arrived just as Prince Ferdinand', 
uttering a deep groan, fell beneath the sword of 
Lord Edmund. Elvira screamed, and thrown 
ing herself upon the body, endeavaured in VaiV)) 
to revive it, quite forgetting in the excess <^^ 
her agitation the crowd which surrounded her, 
and the interpretation that might be put upc^ 
her behaviour. One sole idea occupied h^ 
mind, and chilled it with horror : it was, that 



80 THE MUMMY. 

her imprudence had most probably deprived a 
fellow-creature of existence. 

Lord Edmund in the mean time stood in 
statue-like insensibility, gazing upon her with 
feelings of unutterable anguish. Her grief, 
her violent emotion, seemed to confirm the pas- 
sion she had avowed; and if she loved, his 
exertions had only paved the way for the suc- 
cess of his rival. The thought was madness. 
Lord Edmund gnashed his teeth^ his counte- 
nance changed, blood gushed in torrents from 
his side, for he too was wounded, and he leant 
fainting against a tree. 

The confusion which now previuled was inde- 
scribable. It was high treason to draw a sword 
in the precincts of tfie royal palace; and the 
guards, who were instantly assembled, took the 
offenders into custody. They were both inca- 
pable of offering any resistance, and they were 
hurried away to prison amidst the exclamations 
of the mob. Elvira had fainted, and she was 
carried back to the palace; whilst the whispered 
speculations of the crowd, upon the strangeness 



i 



THE MUMMY. 81 

of the scene, arose in half-stifled murmurs like 
the distant roar of ocean. The attention of 
the spectators, however, was soon fixed upon 
the poor old Duke of Cornwall He had stood 
bending forwards — ^his hands clasped, and his 
eyes riveted upon his daughter during the 
whole of her ine£Pectual attempts to revive 
the prince. The old man seemed turned to 
st(Hie : he neither moved, nor spoke; his glassy 
eyes were set, and his livid lips slightly qui- 
vered; at last he uttered a faint groan, and fell 
senseless into the arms of his attendants in a 
fit of apoplexy. The spectators thought him 
dead, and fancied his heart had broken, on dis- 
covering this unexpected weakness on the part 
of his adored daughter. . 

Every one was powerfully afiPected, and every 
one seemed bursting to speak ; though no one 
knew exactly what he might venture to say. 
Lord Gustavus looked stern. Lord Maysworth 
important, and Dr. Hardman sly; whilst the 
Lords Noodle and Doodle shook their little 
heads, till they seemed in imminent danger of 

£ 5 



8S THE MUMKY. 

becoming separated from their bodies. Rosa- 
bella^s heart alone swelled with rapture, and 
her eyes beamed with ill-K^onoealed triumph. 

" The Mummy was right," thought she ;— ^ 
^* Elvira i^tmst fall, and Edmuhd will be 



mine.'' 



THE MUMMY. 8^ 



CHAPTER III. 

The evening of the day on which Prince 
Ferdinand and Lord Edmund were committed 
to prison, Sir Ambrose, as he was writing in 
his study, was startled by a loud scream ; and 
flying to the spot from whence it proceeded, 
he found Clara lying upon the ground insen- 
sible, whilst Abelard was stoofHng over her, 
and endeavouring to render her some assist- 
ance. 

" Good God !^' cried Sir Ambvose, " what 
is the matter ?^ 

^^ It is all owing to the carelessness of the 
domestic assistants at the next door/' replied 
Abelard. " No. Ty is just come I}ack from 
Brighton) and one of thf assistants being 



84 THE MUMMY. 

occupied in making observations on the sky, 
instead of minding what he was doing, push- 
ed the house a little on one side as it was 
slipping into the sockets; and poking their 
horizontal spout through our Ubrary window, 
they have knocked down this shelf of books, 
and frightened poor Miss Clara out of her 
wits." 

^^ Stupid idiots/' said the baronet ; ^^ she 
would have been killed if the books had fallen 
upon her." 

" I beg your pardon, Sir Ambrose," said the 
culprit, putting his head through the window ; 
^^ I do not conceive Miss Montagu would have 
been injured even if the books had fallen upon 
her. The weight of her body, I should appre-> 
hend^ must be nearly equivalent to that of the 
books; consequently, the resistance she was 
capable of opposing, being fully equal to the 
blow she would have received, the effect must 
have been neutralized." 

*' Confound your explanations !^' said Sir 
Ambrose, whose anger was increased tenfold 
by this speech ; ^ you Ve almost killed my niece. 



THV MUMMY. 85 

and now you want to drive me distracted. I 
am always willing to hear reason, but I hate 
explanations.*^ 

*' Your honour must excuse me," remarked 
Abelard, pausing in his attempt to raise Clara : 
" but your honour^s syllogism is not well main- 
t^ned. Your Honour has been pleased to 
state that you love reason, and yet your Honour 
professes to hate explanations. Now to ex- 
plain, and to give reasons, are synonymous.*" 

" The Devil take your logic,'* cried Sir Am- 
brose ; " Clara ! my dear Clara ! open your 
eyes, my love ! are you hurt ?*' 

^^ I would not say any thing disrespectful to 
Sir Ambrose for the world," resumed the man 
whose carelessness had occasioned Clara's ac- 
cident, ^^ but I cannot refrain from observ- 
ing to you, Mr. Abelard, that even now, his 
Honour's last proposition was by no means self- 
evident. The copula, and the predicate did 
not agree, for how could the Devil, personified in 
his Honour's speech as an active agent, takey 
that is seize, or lay hold of your logic, Mr. 
Abelard, a thing which is not tangible ?" 



86 THE MUMMY. 

" Perhaps his Honour spoke metaphorically,^ 
observed Abelard ; '* and then you know one is 
allowed a license.'*^ 

** Oh, if his Honour spoke metaphorically it 
alters the case completely,^ returned the man. 

" And you would let my niece lie and die 
whilst you are settling the point ?^ cried Sir 
Ambrose, as he raised Clara himself, and placed 
her upon a chair. ** How are you, my dear 
child ?'' .continued he in a softer tone ; " What 
is the matter ? Where have they injured you ?" 

" Oh, my dear unde !" sighed Clara, ** I am 
not hurt, but Edmund is in prison, and he 
will certainly be beheaded.*' 

^^ In prison, child ! you must be dretoiing/'' 

^^ Indeed I am not, uncle : I heard the men 
say so who are placing the adjoining house. 
He has fought with Prince Ferdinand in the 
palace garden.^ 

" My boy, my darling boy !*' cried Sir Am- 
brose, and rushed out of the room in despair. 

" FoUow him, for Heaven^s sake, follow him, 
Abelard,'' said Clara. The worthy butler 



THE MUMMY. 87 

obeyed, wringing his hands, and lifting his 
eyes up to heaven ; whilst Clara remained per- 
fectly motionless, and apparently absorbed in 
thought. 

^^ I will save him«^ said she after a short 
pause, ** or perish in the attempt.'*' 

In the bitterest anguish of mind, Sir Am- 
brose hastened to the palace; but he was re- 
fused admittance, as he was informed the 
Queen was in a high fever. He inquired for 
his friend the duke : he too was invisible, his 
late attack having placed his life in imminent 
danger. Dr. Coleman was in attendance on 
the Queen ; and the lords of the council, though 
they affected to sympathize with the unfortu- 
nate father, evidently, though covertly, re- 
joiced at the disgrace of their most powerful 
rival. Repulsed on every side. Sir Ambrose 
now proceeded to the prison; but here also 
he was refused admittance, and sadly and 
slowly he returned home in despair, resting 
his sole remaining hopes upon the advice and 
assistance of Father Morris, upon whose gigan- 






88 THE MUMMY. 

tic strength of mind he was accustomed to rely 
implicitly, in all the impotency of age and 
misery. 

The prison to which Ferdinand and Lord 
Edmund had been conveyed was situated in 
a close disagreeable part of the city of London, 
called Kensington. It had been formerly a 
palace, and had been surrounded by a noble 
park miscalled a garden. The devastating 
hand of improvement had however, as usual, 
waged war against all the sublimer charms of 
nature, and the majestic beauties of Kensington 
fell victims to its fury. Narrow, unwhole- 
some streets now rose where spreading oaks 
had once stretched forth their venerable arms, 
and verdant lawns had become dirty cause- 
ways ; whilst ponds were turned to water pipes, 
and Jacobus well kept clean a common sewer. 
As Ferdinand and Edmund had never seen 
Kensington in its pristine glories,- they could 
not now regret the change : and it was to 
them neither more nor less than a place of con- 
finement, a spot very few people show any 
manifest relish for. 



THE MUMMT. 89 

Immediately upon their arrival. Prince Fer- 
dinand and Lord Edmund had their wounds 
dressed by the automaton steam surgeon be- 
longing to the prison, which, being properly 
arranged and wound up, staunched the blood, 
spread the plaisters, and affixed the bandages 
with as much skill as though it had done 
nothing -^but walk a hospital all its life. As 
soon as these operations were performed, the 
prisoners were locked up in separate cells, and 
left to meditate upon their situations. 

" Good Heavens !^ cried Ferdinand, looking 
round with astonishment at the elegant apart- 
ment he was shown into, adorned with a painted 
velvet carpet, silk curtains, and chairs and 
tables inlaid with brass and ivory ; whilst a 
sumptuous canopy hung over a bed of down 
on one side, and divers little Cupids supported 
lights* held back curtains, and performed nu- 
merous other useful offices in different corners. 
" Can this be a prison? Neither Paris nor 
Vienna possess palaces half so splendid !" 

The surprise of Ferdinand was natural, as he 
was still almost a stranger in England, and did 



90 THE MUMMT. 

not know that our happy island had been long 
blest with a race of people who thought prisons 
should be made agreeable residences, and had 
gone on improving them till they had ended in 
maldng them temples of luxury. In spite of 
all the conveniences of his prison, however, 
Ferdinand was perfectly wretched. He could 
not imagine what reason Lord Edmund had 
had for fastening a quarrel upon him ; for, as 
his passion for Elvira, though violent, had been 
quite as evanescent as that he had formerly 
entertained for Rosabella, he had not the least 
idea of having excited Lord Edmund's jealousy. 
Fatigued at length with forming fruitless con- 
jectures, he threw himself upon his bed of 
down, and soon lost the remembrance of his 
cares in a refreshing slumber. 

In the mean time, Clara was revolving in her 
mind the best method of putting in practice 
a wild scheme that she had formed, of vi- 
fflting Prince Ferdinand in prison. She did 
not dare to confide her plan to any one, for she 
feared that anybody she might consult would 
either laugh at her folly or betray her secret. 



THE UVMHT. 91 

Besides, to obtain any assistance, she must give 
s6me motive fen: her conduct ; and as Clara did 
not exactly know her own reasons for thus 
acting, it was quite impossible she could make 
out a case to satisfy another. To go, however, 
she was determined; and when the family of 
her uncle were all retired, she wrapped herself 
in a large mantle, and with some diflSculty con- 
trived to reach the street. The night was cold 
and dark ; a thick mist fell, and Clara seemed 
chilled to the heart ; yet a feeling she could not 
account for, urged her on. Clara was young 
and romantic; she loved Prince Ferdinand, 
and ^e fancied him in danger. How she was 
to save him she knew not, and yet it was 
solely the hope of saving him that urged her 
forward. 

She had discovered he was confined at Ken- 
sington, and thither she bent her steps: but 
as she passed the palace, she found a crowd of 
balloons floating around it, laden with persons 
whose anxiety respecting the Queen had kept 
them wmting, and induced them to besiege her 
door personally with their enquiries ; whilst the 



92 THE MUMMY. 

lighted flambeaux, belonging to these aerial v^ 
hides, flashed brightly in the air, and looked 
like a multitude of dancing stars, as they ra- 
pidly crossed and recrossed each other above 
her head. 

This little incident completed poor Clara^s 
bewilderment ; and, terrified lest she should be 
seen and recognized, she hurried on without 
exactly knowing where she was going, till per- 
plexed by the different appearance the streets 
seemed to assume in the darkness, and her own 
fears, she found to her unspeakable dismay 
that she had lost her road. In the greatest agi- 
tation and distress, she now wandered to and 
fro, whilst her embarrassment was increased 
every moment by the ill-timed raillery of the 
passers by. At last, she became quite sur- 
rounded by a group of people, who assailed 
her with so many questions and jokes, that the 
poor girl, quite overpowered, stopped short, and 
burst into tears. 

" Och ! and what are ye about to be afther 
disthurbing a poor young cratur like that," 
cried the well-known voice of Father Murphy, 



THE MUMMY. 9S 

as the friar's portly figure was seen bustling 
through the mob. " What are ye afther there ? 
Don't you see the poor thing has lost her way 
in the darkthness; and if ye bother her so, how 
d^ ye think she '11 evher be able to find it ?^' 

Never did any music sound so harmoniously 
in Clara^s ears, as the father's rich deep brogue; 
and darting forwards she threw herself at his 
feet, and clasping her arms round his knees, 
she exclaimed — " Oh ! save me ! save me ! I 
am Clara ! Clara Montagu !^ 

** Clara !" cried Father Murphy, in the ut- 
most astonishment. ^^ Clara ! why, what in the 
name of Heaven brings you out, child, at this 
hour of the night ?'^' 

*^ Oh ! don't ask me, father,'' returned Clara, 
gasping for breath ; ^* that is, I will tell you 
presently. But take me away ; for the love 
of the blessed Virgin, save me from these 
men !** 

** Come here, my child," said the Father, 
drawing her arm within his own, and walking 
away with her ; ^^ let us lave these people. And 
now," continued he, when they were already at 



94 XHB MUMMY. 

some distance from the crowd, *^ you must tell 
me, child, what brings ye here ?*^ 

This question, though it was a very natural 
one for the friar to ask, was beyond Clara^s 
power to answer. In fact, she trembled so 
dreadfully she could scarcely stand ; and when 
she attempted to speak, her teeth chattered in 
her head so violently, that die could not articu- 
late a syllable. *^ Poor thing !" muttered the 
compassionate priest, after waiting a few mi« 
nutes in vain for an answer, ^^ she 'II be betther 
presently.'' 

All now was dark, and they walked slowly 
on some paces without speaking, when four 
bright flashes from a neighbouring clock an* 
nounced the completion of some hour — the 
next instant, the solemn deep-toned bell dis- 
tinctly pronounced the word ^^ one,'' and then 
all again was silent. 

'^ I had no fancy it was so late," said the 
father, whose disposition was naturally too 
cheerful to let him ever remain long silent. 

^^ Did you think it was one o'clock, Clara ?— 
I little thought I should ever be wandering 



TH£ MUMMY. 95 

with you, dear, in the sthre^s at such a time of 
night. I can't help fancying it's all a drame, 
any how : so spake, darling, if you can, and tell 
me all about it." 

Clara felt faint, and only replied by clinging 
yet more firmly to the friftr's arm. Father 
Murphy was frightened and thought she was 
going to die. — " Oh murther f cried he, " what 
will I do ? 1^ brathing her last, sweet cratur, 
and nobody by to help her, and I not knowing 
how to comfort her." 

The delicate form of Clara seemed every 
instant to become more heavy, as she stiU clung 
almost unconsciously to the friar's arm, and 
feebly gasped for breath. 

"Oh ! what will I do? what will I do.?'' re- 
peated the poor father, looking eagerly around 
for aid : all however was dark, and gloomy and 
silent as the grave. Suddenly a br^ht meteor- 
like substance appeared at the edge of the ho- 
rizon, and the friar, to his unspeakable trans- 
port, discovered it to be a night fire-stage bal- 
loon. He hailed it, and in a few moments it 
was hovering over their heads ; the accommo- 



96 THE MUMUT. 

dation ladder was itt down, and Clara and her 
companion having ascended to the car, the bal- 
loon again rapidly sailed along. 

^* Where are we going ?** asked Clara faintly. 

"Och!" returned the friar, "and that's 

what I nevher thought of asking, darling ; but 
Heaven be praised that ye are so much better 
as to be able to bother yourself about it 

« We are going to Kensington, Miss,** said 
the balloon conductor. 

" Kensington !^* repeated Clara, clasping her 
hands together in transport-—" thank God !" 

" It'^s a very good thing to be thankful 
any how,^ said the father ; " but I own I 
donH see why you should cry out in such rap- 
thure, when you find we are going the wrong 
road.'' 

" Oh ! no, no, father ;'' returned Clara, ** not 
the wrong road ; for Kensington is the goal 
of all my wishes.'" 

" Poor thing ! she is certainly disthracted,'^ 
thought Father Murphy. " The loss of her 
cousin lias deprived her of her senses ; but I 



THE MUMMY. 97 

will let her take her own vmy ; perhaps she 11 
be betther presently.'' 

*' Where will you like to be set down ?'^ 
•asked the man. 

" Near the prison,'' cried Clara eagerly. 

" Near the prison !" repeated Father Mur- 
phy, shrugging his shoulders. *^ Ay, ay, I was 
right." 

Not another word was spoken till the balloon 
stopped and the passengers were set down : all 
still was dark, save two lights which gleamed 
from a tower belonging to the prison, like the 
eyes of a mighty giant, and showed below a tall, 
clumsy-looking figure that marched with heavy, 
measured steps to and fro before the gates, 
whilst at a little distance lay a party of sol- 
diers bivouacking. Clara shuddered as she 
looked at them, and hastily turning away, 
timidly approached the figure, and begged it 
to let her into the prison. It continued its 
march, but as it did not speak, she attempted 
to pass by it. 

" No admittance," said the figure, as she 
touched it, in trjdng to reach the door. 

VOL. III. F 



98 THE MUMMV. 



• 



I implore you,"*' cried Clara, wringing her 
hands in agony. 

The figure did not reply, but continued its 
solemn tramp unmoved ; its hollow steps falling 
heavily upon the ear at regular intervals. Dri- 
ven to despair, Clara again endeavoured to 
rush past it ; but as she again touched it, she 
was again repulsed, whilst the figure reiterated 
its monotonous " No admittance !" Clara threw 
herself upon her knees before it in agony. 

" Clara ! Clara dear T cried Father Murphy, 
attempting to raise her, ** you are certainly 
quite beside yourself; don't you see it is an 
automaton ? Nothing can stop it but the proper 
check-string, and that is in the little guard- 
house yonder, round which you see the soldiers 

lying." 

" Then they can admit me,*" said Clara 

wildly '*they are men, and will surely listen 

to me :^ then before the father could stop her, 

she flew towards them, and throwing herself at 

the feet of the commanding officer, implored his 

pity. The officer was a man of feeling, and, 

touched with compassion at her evident anguish. 



THE MUMMY. 99 

he promised to endeavour to grant her petition> 
ere Father Murphy, who was too fat to move 
with much agility, could reach them. ^^ Thank 
you ! thank you ^ cried Clara, kissing the of- 
ficer's hand. ** Grod bless you T 

The officer smiled at her warmth. '* Wait 
here a little/' said he : ^^ I will soon return and 
admit you, if I obtain permission ; but State 
Prisoners are ordered to be guarded so closely* 
that I dare not take any step respecting them, 
without consulting the governor.'' 

" So then you '11 get in after all," said Father 
Murphy, who had approached near enough to 
hear this last speech. " Well, well, what a 
world this is we live in! Here have been 
dukes and princes begging for admission un- 
successfully, and yet a little saucy girl, only 
because she happens to be half distracted, is 
let in at the very first word." 

Clara did not reply ; but wrapping herself in 
her cloak, sate down on a large stone near the 
gates to wait the officer's return. The solemn 
automaton was stopped for a moment to allow 
him to pass, but it had now resumed its slow 

F 2 



100 • THE MUMMY. 

measured step, aud Clara^s heart sickened at 
the sound. The mist cleared away, and the 
night became fine though cold, whilst the moon 
having struggled through the clouds which 
rapidly scudded across the sky, shed her pale 
feeble light upon the scene. Clara shuddered 
as she looked at the dark heavy building be- 
hind her, and wrapping her cloak tighter round 
her, fixed her eyes anxiously upon the heavens, 
watching the varied shapes assumed by the 
clouds as they drifted along, and sighing hea- 
vily as they passed. 

" Now tell me, dear," said Father Murphy, 
seating himself beside her, " what ye mane to 
say to yere cousin when ye get in to see. him. 
Spake freely, for the devil a word the spalpeens 
yonder shall hear of what ye 're going to say, 
by rason of their being all fast asleep.** 

" My cousin I** exclaimed Clara. " Who ! 
what !** 

" Your cousin Edmund, that ye 're come so 
far to see,** resumed the father. 

♦* My cousin !'* replied Clara ; " Oh ! ay, 
true. It was my cousin who fought with him. 



■i 



THE MUMMY. 101 

you know. But I don't want to see my cou- 



sin.'' 



u 



Not want to see your cousin l^ reiterated 
Father Murphy, his eyes almost starting from 
his head in the excess of his astonishment. 
" Why did you come here, then ?" 

- " To — to see Prince Ferdinand," said Clara 
in a faltering voice, looking down, and blush- 
ing. 

Father Murphy's astonishment was now far 
too great for words, and he could only look at 
her in speechless horror, as he revolved some 
plan in his mind for getting her quietly back to 
her friends. 

" How wild she looks f' thought he : " she 
must be put in confinement ; there is no saying 
to what lengths so strange a delusion may carry 
her." 

Whilst the poor father was thus cogitating 
and repeating to himself divers coaxing forms 
of words, by the help of which he hoped to 
persuade her to return, the automaton again 
stopped, and, the prison door flying open, the 
officer beckoned Clara to advance. She flew 



102 THE MUMMY. 

towards bim. *^ Clara ! Clara dear !^' said Fa- 
ther Murphy, " had you not betther go home 
again ?^^ But Clara heard him not; she was 
already in the prison; the doors had closed, 
and the automaton sentinel had again resumed 
his measured, beaten track. 

** Oh dear ! oh dear !" cried the unhappy 
Father Murphy, " what will I do ? How will 
I get her out? Poor Sir Ambrose — he will 
break his heart. I dare say he knows nothing 
about it. These kind of 6ts always come on 
suddenly.*' 

Thus lamenting, the worthy father walked 

« 

up and down before the prison in a state of 
pitiable distress, till a bright thought flashed 
across his mind, and he set off as fast as his 
trembling limbs could carry him to put it in 
execution. 

In the mean time, Clara had followed the 
officer into the prison, and her heart beat 
faster as she advanced, for her undertaking now 
appeared to her in a new light, and she trembled 
as she thought of the interpretation the Prince 
might put upon her boldness. It was, however, 
too late to repent ; she had not even time for 



THE MUMMY. lOS 

hesitation. The officer is already at the dxx>r, 
the bolts are withdrawn, and Clara finds herself 
in the presence of Ferdinand. Confused and 
horrcHT'Struck at what she had done, she scarcely 
knew where she was» every thing seemed to 
swim before her eyes, and gasping for breath, 
she caught firm hold of the door-way for 
support. 

For some moments, Ferdinand was not 
aware of her presence, as he sat gloomily rest- 
ing his head upon his hand, his elbow support- 
ed by a table, upon which lay a variety of 
papers, whilst Hans, a favourite servant, who 
had followed him from Germany, stood beside 
him. 

Awed by his abstraction, and abashed by 
the presumption she had been guilty of, in in- 
truding, unsolicited, upon his presence, Clara 
still stood irresolute, fearing alike to advance 
or to recede, till the officer, impatient at her 
delay, cried, in a loud voice — 

" Walk in, if you please, Ma*am, that I may 
re-lock the door. I shall return to let you out 
in an hour.'^ 

The sound of the officer's voice caught the 



104 THE MUMMir. 

attention of Ferdinand, and he looked towards 
the door-way, from the shade of which the 
trembling Clara was now forced to advance. 

" Miss Montagu,'* cried Prince Ferdinand, 
who had seen her at Elvira's parties, and had 
thought her so pretty as to inquire her name, — 
^' this is an unhoped-for pleasure ; I did not 
expect this." 

** I came — I came — ^ stammered Clara : and 
here she stopped short, for upon recollection 
she really could not tell why she had come. 

" I am delighted to see you,'' said the prince, 
smiling, and taking her hand, ^^ whatever 
may be the cause that has procured me this 
honour." 

** I — I — I — had — ^rather — sit — down," stam- 
mered Clara, without having the least idea what 
she was talking about. 

" Well, then, we will sit down,** said Ferdi- 
nand : and, gently placing her upon a chair, he 
drew one to her side, and again took her hand. 
His touch thrilled through Clara's whole 
frame. She felt his ardent gaze upon her 
face, and dreadfully agitated, fearing she knew 



THE MUMMY. 106 

not what, she turned away from him, and 
tried to withdraw her hand. 

" I — I — I — ^believe — I must go,*^ said she. 

** So soon," cried Ferdinand, again smiling, 
for it was impossible to mistake the cause of 
her confusion. ** I thought the gaoler said he 
should not come for you again in less than 
an hour.*" 

" Did he r repeated Clara, quite uncon- 
scious of what she said, and without daring 
to look at him. 

" My dear Miss Montagu, will you not be- 
stow one look upon me ?^ cried Ferdinand, 
in his most insinuating tone, sinking upon one 
knee before her, and gently encircling her 
slender waist with his arm, as he turned her 
towards him. Clara could not resist his im- 
ploring eyes ; her heart beat, she blushed, she 
trembled, she looked upon the ground ; when 
suddenly . Ferdinand uttered a faint cry, and 
started upon his feet. Clara gazed at him 
with wonder, for that countenance, so lately 
beaming with love and tenderness, now seemed 
aghast with horror. She followed the direction 

F 5 



106 THE MDMMV. 

of his eyes, and beheld in the door- way the 
giant form of Cheops; whilst the Mummy's 
appalling laugh resounded in his ears. In- 
voluntarily Clara shuddered, and hid her face 
in her hands. 

" By the silver bow of Isis !^' cried Cheops, 
tauntingly, " I admire your charity. Miss 
Montagu. Why do you hide your face? 
But so it is, true merit is always bashful, 
and the beneficial spirit that prompted Clara 
Montagu to visit the distressed, and even prefer 
a stranger to her own cousin, makes her blush 
to avow her goodness." 

" Mercy ! mercy !" cried Clara, falling at 
his feet. ^^ You know my heart, and I implore 
your assistance.^ 

" Then you shall have it," returned Cheops. 
^^ As for you," continued he, addressing the 
prince ; " what is your wish ?" 

'' Deliver me from this prison, and make 
Clara mine, and I will be your slave.^' 

" It is well,^ said the Mummy. " Clara, you 
must retire with me ; this is no place for you. 
As for you, prince. Lord Maysworth and Fa- 






THE MOMMY. 107 

ther M urphy will be admitted to you^resence 
in the course of a few hours^ to consults with 
you respecting your defence. Follow their ad- 
vice, and fear nothing. Rely upon me, and 
you shall be safe. Come, Clara ! you must 
return to the house of your uncle. Father 
Murphy wisely informed me of your folly, and 
invoked my aid. I come accordingly to relieve 
you from the dilemma in which your rash- 
ness had involved you. Let us retire, and your 
imprudence will be overlooked in consideration 
of your youth. Adieu, Prince ! we shall meet 
again !" 

Clara now withdrew, following her strange 
guide, whose dictum, indeed, few mortals could 
resist, and leaving the Prince's mind much re- 
lieved, as his confidence in his new friend was 
unbounded ; whilst the discovery he had made 
of the devoted love of Clara soothed his troubled 
spirit, and robbed his confinement of half its 
bitterness. 



108 THE MUMMY. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Ik the mean time, Lord Edmund^s mind was 
tortured by the bitterest anguish, and his agi- 
tation, added to the pain of his wounds, pro- 
duced a considerable degree of fever. The 
conduct of Elvira, and the anxiety she had 
evinced respecting the prince, seemed to confirm 
his worst suspicions. " Oh God ! Oh God f' 
cried he, as he paced his prison in agony ; " I 
could have borne any thing but this — it is too, 
too much. By Heaven ! I could sell myself to 
everlasting perdition to be revenged." 

As he spoke, he heard the key of his dungeon 
door grate in the lock, and he shuddered, for 
he almost fancied some hideous sceptre would 
appear in answer to his call, and he felt inde- 



THE MUMMY. 10 

scribably relieved when he heard the gentle, 
insinuating tones of Father Morris. Sweet is 
the voioe of friendship to the disappointed spi- 
rit, and soft falls the balm of consolation from 
those we love, upon the wounded heart. Ed- 
mund'^s bosom thus throbbed with transport 
when he saw the reverend father ; and throw- 
ing his arms round his neck, he sobbed like a 
child. 

^^ My dear Edmund,*^ said the priest, also 
excessively affected^ for he really loved Ed- 
mund, " it breaks my heart to see you thus — 
cruel Elvira !'' 

" Oh, blame her not, father I'' exclaimed Ed- 
mund ; '^ I cannot bear that even you should 
blame her. Shfe is deceived — she is under the 
influence of infatuation. We cannot control 
our hearts, you know, father .'' 

*' But that she should be capable of loving 
another, when your services, your devoted affec- 
tion— '"^ 

^^ Alas ! alas ! father, love is not to be bought 
by services. All she could give she has given ; 
I possess her friendship and esteem.'*^ 



110 THE MUMMY. 

*^ And are you satisfied with those P^"" 

'' Satisfied ! Oh heavens T 

^* At any rate, I suppose you could bear to 
see her married to Prince Ferdinand, if you 
thought it would contribute to her happi- 
ness***' 

^^ Married to him !^' cried Edmund, gnash- 
ing his teeth in agony — '^ married to him i 
Oh any thing but that : I will never live to 
see tbat** 

" You are not likely,'' calmly returned the 
priest ; ^^ for, as the state requires a victim, and 
as Elvira will certainly not resign her Endy- 
mion, you will doubtless be sacrificed to save 
him.^ 

^' Hold, hold !'*' cried Edmund, driven to 
madness by the thought ; '' do not dare to re* 
peat those cursed words ! I could die to serve 
her, but I will not be sacrificed. What ! am I 
to be made a tool, a child, an idiot ? — destined 
to labour for my rival, and denied even the 
poor satisfaction of showing the extent of my 
devotion ? But I will not die so calmly ; Elvira 
shall not forget me— I will see her — she shall 



THE MUMMY. 



Ill 



at least know my sentiments ; and if she treats 
me with scorn, I will die, it is true, but it shall 
be by my own hand, and at her feet. I will 
not be sacrificed — I will not steal out of life 
like a common criminal.-— No ; the world shall 
know my wrongs — I will be heard, I will not 
fall unnoticed and unknown. Take this chain, 
Father Morris; give it to her, and tell her 
I implore her, by the recollection of the mo- 
ment when she bestowed it upon me, to grant 
me an interview. If she refuse me— but no, 
no, she cannot.*" 

Father Morris took the chain, and promis- 
ing to see the Queen, withdrew, leaving Lord 
Edmund in a state of indescribable agitation. 
He was not left long, however, to his solitary 
reflections ; for, as he paced with hasty strides 
his. prison, and turned as he reached the wall, 
the Mummy, Cheops, stood before him. 

" Ah, wretch !"" cried Edmund, " what brings 
you here? Come you to torment your vic- 
tim ?" 

" I come to help and comfort the unfortu- 
nate," said the Mummy. 



112 THE MUMMV. 



cc 



Begone P cried Lord Edmund, " I do 
not want your pity, and your proffered help 
I scorn."" 

'* Spare your scorn, proud Lord,^ returned 
Cheops, ^^ it will not aid you, though I might.''* 

'^ I want no aid P^ exclaimed Lord Edmund, 
'^ and, least of all, such help as you can give me. 
I despise alike your pity and your vengeance. 
Come what will, I rely upon myself. Con- 
scious of my own integrity, I do not fear to fall, 
though demons should assail me. Avaunt then, 
fiend, for over me thou bast no power !" 

Cheops burst into one of his fiendish laughs, 
and exclaiming, " That time will show,'' dis- 
appeared. 

Edmund felt relieved by his absence, though, 
in spite of his boasted firmness, and the sove- 
reign contempt he expressed for the Mummy, 
he could not prevent his mind from dwelling 
upon the circumstance. The appearance of 
Cheops, indeed, never failed to excite a deep 
and powerful interest in the minds of all who 
conversed with him, whilst his appalling laugh 
struck terror to the firmest breast, and even 



THE MUMMT. 113 

those who affected to despise his menaces could 
not prevent their minds from dwelling upon 
his words. This irresistible power had its full 
effect upon the mind of Edmund, and, though 
he endeavoured in vain to shake it off and 
rouse his mind to think of other things, still 
the gigantic Mummy seemed to stalk before 
him. In vain did he strive to picture to him- 
self his interview with the Queen ; the hideous 
features of the Mummy rose in his imagination 
instead of the lovely form of Elvira, till at 
length, fatigued and exhausted, he threw him- 
self upon his couch and endeavoured to lose the 
remembrance of his cares in sleep : yet even in 
his dreams the same image haunted him, and 
the same words rang in his ears. 

Whilst these scenes were taking place in the 
prison, Elvira was suffering all the torments 
of a burning fever ; she was, indeed, seriously 
ill : the excessive agitation of her mind, and 
the horror she felt at the idea of being the 
murderer of Ferdinand, had overpowered her 
reason ; and by the time Dr. Coleman arrived, 
(he having been sent for on the first alarm,) she 



>* 



114 THE MUMMY. 

was quite delirious. The thought that she 
alone had caused the danger of Ferdinand, oc- 
cupied her mind ; and^ not being able to bear 
the idea that her folly might occasion the de- 
struction of a human being, she raved of him 
incessantly, and repeatedly offered to sacrifice 
her life to preserve his. 

Her ravings were heard by her domestics, 
and being neither exactly understood, nor cor- 
rectly repeated, their reports, aided by the art- 
ful insinuations of Father Morris, soon pro- 
duced rumours throughout the city, that the 
Queen was violently in love with Prince Fer< 
dinand, and had gone mad because the law did 
not permit her to marry him. The efiect this 
idea produced was prodigious ; it was implicitly 
believed, for the lower classes are naturally 
fond of the marvellous, and, when there are 
two sides to a question, are very seldom dis- 
posed to err by judging too favourably; whilst 
the indignation it excited was unbounded. In 
some cases, men are more tenacious of their 
prejudices than of their rights. Thus, then, 
though the English, by consenting to the mar- 



THE MUMMY. 115 

riage of their Queen, had deprived themselves 
of the important right of electing their own 
Sovereign ; they considered what they had 
done as trifling, when compared with the hor- 
ror th>y felt at the thought of submitting to a 
foreign King: whilst the emissaries of Rosa- 
bella, taking advantage of this feeling, by al- 
ternately playing upon their fears, and magni- 
fying their terrors, worked them up almost to a 
state of desperation. 

The party of Elvira, in the mean time, was 
quite unable to stem the torrent opposed to it. 
The Queen and her father were both too ill 
to leave their beds, and Lord Edmund was in 
prison. 

** What will become of us ?^ whispered 
Emma to Dr. Coleman, one day in the chamber 
of Elvira, when she fancied the Queen to be 
asleep. " To-morrow Prince Ferdinand and 
Lord Edmund are to be tried, and, they say, 
not even the Queen has power to pardon them 
if they are convicted.'' 

" It is but too true," returned Dr. Coleman ; 

they must die, and the punishment is horrid. 



t( 



116 THE MUMMY. 

The criminal is doomed to be burned by a slow 
fine/' 

" Horrible !" cried Emma ; " and this only 
for drawing a sword in the vicinity of a royal 
palace." 

^^ Alas ! that is not all ! Ferdinand is ac- 
cused of wishing to marry the Queen ; and 
the laws that devote to a horrid death the man 
who shall presume to address her in the lan- 
guage of love, yet hold good against fo- 
reigners." 

" I cannot believe Prince Ferdinand ever 
dared even to think of the Queen,'' said Emma. 

" God only can judge the heart,'' observed 
Dr. Coleman ; " but, I am sorry to say, the 
proofs are very strong against him : I have 
heard, from undoubted authority, that persons 
will swear they heard him absolutely make 
love to the Queen ; and that she promised to 
marry him if she could obtain the consent of 
her people." 

" It is false !!' cried Elvira, starting from 
her bed, and standing suddenly between them— 
" false as hell ! Prince Ferdinand never ad- 



THE MUMMY. 117 

dressed a single syllable breathing of love to 
me in his existence. He is the victim of a 
mistake, or rather of my folly; but he shall 
not die — I will save him, or perish in the at- 
tempt !" 

The calm, decided tone in which Elvira 
spoke, and her spectral appearance, produced 
an almost magical effect upon her auditors, 
and they stood awestruck and aghast, whilst 
Elvira continued : — 

" Dress me, Emma ; I will see my people ; 
I will appeal to them myself. It is the day 
for receiving petitions in Blackheath Square : 
there will be a multitude assembled. I will go 
there in person, and address them.*^ 

** It is the raving of delirium," whispered 
Emma to Dr. Coleman ; " what shall I do ?" 

** Do you dare to hesitate ?" said Elvira, 
whose sense of hearing, sharpened by her recent 
illness, enabled her to catch distinctly the words 
of her favourite. 

** Humour her," returned Dr. Coleman ; 
" in her present state, opposition would be 
fatal." 



118 THE MUMMY. 



C( 



It would indeed be fatal,*^ said Elvira, 
seating herself in a large arm-chair ; whilst the 
temporary colour her previous exertion had 
given her, faded from her cheeks, and she look- 
ed the image of death. 

^^ She will faint !"" cried Emma, flying for 
aid. 

*^ It is impossible for her to go in this state i^ 
said the doctor. 

*^ Impossible !" cried Elvira, starting up 
wildly, and her cheeks again glowing with the 
deepest crimson, whilst her eyes sparkled with 
superhuman fire ; ^^ what is impossible to a de- 
termined spirit ? Haste ! haste ! Emma, and 
let me go, whilst I have yet strength ; for go I 
will, though death await me there. My rash- 
ness has endangered the life of Prince Ferdi- 
nand, and I will die to save him !^^ 

Farther opposition was useless, and the doc- 
tor retiring, Emma hastily attired her mis&ess. 
The people were expected to assemble as usual 
in the Square, though, from the illness of the 
Queen, a deputation of nobles had been ap- 
pointed to receive the petitions. The feelings 



THE MUMMY. 119 

of Elvira were wrought up to an unnatural 
energy : every limb trembled with agitation, 
and every nerve thrilled with impatience whilst 
she was dressing; and when she was ready 
she descended the staircase, leaning upon the 
arm of Emma, her cheeks flushed with a hectic 
glow, her lips quivering, and her eyes shining 
with unusual brightness. 

At the foot of the staircase they met Cheops. 
He stedfastly regarded the Queen, and smiled 
at her agitated appearance with his usual calm 
scorn. 

" Oh, fearful spectre !'' cried Elvira, the 
moment she beheld him, '^ I appeal to thee for 
help ; my pride is humbled. I own to thee I 
love Seymour. Aid me to save Ferdinand, and 
I am thy slave.*" 

" Appeal to your people,^' said Cheops, his 
fierce eyes flashing with proud triumph ; " your 
feelings will give you eloquence. But do not 
confine yourself to obtaining the power to par- 
don Ferdinand. Demand to be free ; the peo- 
ple will refuse you nothing. Tell them that 
they have insulted you by giving you per- 



l.'^O THE MOMMY. 

mission to marry, and then dictating whom you 
shall choose. Require perfect freedom. They 
will comply, and bow their necks beneath your 
footstool. But rest not satisfied with any thing 
short of actual submission. Endure no con- 
ditions. This is the moment to decide your 
future destiny. Act with enei^, and you will 
be happy. But if you falter, destruction is 
your portion.'' 

" I will obey you to the letter,'' said Elvira, 
as she walked with a firm step past him, and 
sprang into her balloon, followed by Emma. 

*^ Oh, my dear, dear mistress !" said that 
faithful confidant, ^^ do not listen to that 
wretch; he is a serpent sent to wile you to 
destruction. I am certain he is a fiend incar- 
nate. Do be advised ; do return and relinquish 
this mad enterprize." 

Elvira did not reply. Her feelings were far 
too highly wrought to permit her to speak, and 
bending eagerly forward, she watched, with an 
impatient eye, the streets and houses they flit- 
ted over, scarcely able to bear the agony of 
suspense during the time necessarily lost in the 



THE MUMMY. 1^1 

transit, and seeming every instant to long to 

« 

precipitate herself forward to the goal of her 
wishes. . 

The balloon now rose unusually high, 
whilst masses of fleecy clouds hid the town 
from their view, and looked like flocks of sheep 
beneath their feet. . 

" We are going wrong !" cried Elvira, in 
agony ; " we shall be too late."" 

*' No, no,*" said Emma, " I feel we descend 
again — we are arrived." 

And as she spoke, the balloon sank rapidly, 
whilst the clouds opening, discovered the im- 
mense Square below them, apparently paved 
with human heads. 

" Thank God ! we are not too late r cried 
Elvira, clasping her hands together, and sink- 
ing back upon her seat; whilst the balloon- 
conductor directed the machine to the palace 
usually appointed for the reception of the 
Queen. Elvira did not wait to arrange her 
dress; she did not wait to take refreshment 
or even to rest a single moment from her fa- 
tigue, but she rushed upon the terrace the in- 

VOL. III. o 



12S THE MUMMY. 

Btant she quitted theballoon, and presented 
herself before her astonished people, every limb 
quivering from the violence of her agitation* 

The crowd was immense. The extensive 
space looked one compact mass of human heads ; 
but Elvira^s courage did not ful her. Though 
she had now no Lord Edmund to support her, 
and no father or applauding friends to listen as 
she spoke, yet the enthusiasm of the moment 
gave her strength. She forgot every thing but 
the cause that brought her there ; and her mind, 
thrown back upon its own resources, rallied its 
energies^ and seemed to gather courage from the 
thought ; whilst her sylphic figure appeared to 
dilate in size, and assume an almost awful dig- 
nity from the grandeur of the spirit that ani- 
mated it, as she thus stood before her subjects, 
her life or death hanging upon their will. 

Her arrival had been hailed by the loudest 
shouts of wonder and of joy; but when the 
multitude saw she wished to address them, the 
tumult was hushed, and they wsuted in breath- 
less silence for her speech. The deep stillness 
which prevailed amongst this so lately bustling 



THE MUMMY. 1S8 

crowd of human beings, and the thought that 
every ear and every eye turned towards her, 
slightly affected the nerves of Elvira, and her 
lips trembled when she began to speak ; but as 
she became warmed with her subject, her voice 
gradually assumed its natural depth, melody, 
and sweetness ; whilst its full tones sank deep 
into the hearts of her auditors, and carried con- 
viction with them as she went on. 

She first appealed to tbe gratitude of her 
people; and, after alluding to all she had 
done to secure peace and plenty to their do- 
mestic firesides, she reverted to the misery 
<j{ her own situation, before the laws had 
been revoked which condemned her to celi- 
bacy. She powerfully painted the harshness of 
the destiny that debarred her from the bless- 
ings she had so lavishly bestowed upon others. 
She alone, of all her subjects, had been des- 
tined to the wretchedness of a solitary life, 
unsoothed by the tender cares of a husband, 
uncheered by the affection of children. She 
alone had been doomed to wither away her 
youth in cheerless widowhood. Their fiat had 



IM THE MQMMT. 

changed her destiny ; but was it the part of a 
BoUe and generous people, whilst they confer- 
red a benefit to encumber it with restrictions P 
No; she was confident the liberal spirit of the 
English would spurn the sordid thought, and 
shrink from such a manner of obliging. ^^ Make 
me free P said she, *^ really, absolutely free, 
and I promise solemnly you shall never have 
occasion to blush for your Queen.*' 

As she spoke, her cheeks glowed, and her 
eyes sparkled with unwonted fire; whilst the 
people, struck by the suddenness of her appear- 
ance, and her enthusiasm, and carried away 
by the force of the sentiment that could me- 
tamorphose the tender, gentle Elvira into the 
exalted being before them, shouted applause; 
whilst cries rang loudly through the air of 
*^ Long live Elvira !" ** Marry whom you 
list, we will be your slaves ! Still be our 
Queen, and let your children and children's 
children reign over us, when you shall be 
no more.^ 

Delight danced in the bright eyes of Elvira, 
and a blush of pleasure mantled on her cheek, 



THE MUMMT. 125 

as she gracefully thanked them. ''And yet^ 
my friends,'* continued she, in a fainter voice, 
" there is another privilege I would demand at 
your hands. I am called free and absolute; 
yet I am chidned by the laws. Unloose these 
bands; give me at least the power to pardon. 
I know, that if I wished it, I might reverse 
these laws at my will, as the power of the 
Queen who made them was not greater than 
that which you have bestowed upon me. But 
I wish not to do so: I would rather accept 
that from your hands as a favour which I 
might exact as a right. Give me then, my 
people, the most blessed attribute of royalty. 
Let me pardon. Can you refuse me this ?*" 

** No, no !^ shouted the people with enthu- 
siasm ; " we are your slaves ! Do with us as 
you list. The laws are yours; and though 
you change them at your pleasure, we will 
obey ! Long live Elvira ! Elvira for ever ! 
From henceforth we own no law but her will !'* 

Elvira's rapture was unbounded ; she forgot 
the unstable nature of the vox populi, and tri^ 
umphed in the devotion of her people; whilst 



1S6 THE MUMMY, 

they, in return, as die warmly expressed her gra- 
titude, shouted forth her praise in tumultuous 
transports. The air rang with acx;lamations ; 
and Elvira, looking proudly round upon her 
obsequious subjects, felt herself indeed a Queen. 
There is perhaps no sensation in the world more 
delightful than thus to feel oneself the idol of 
the multitude, to see every eye beaming with ad- 
miration, to hear every voice resounding praise, 
and to know every heart is devoted to one 
object. The human mind cannot enjoy a higher 
gratification than in the consciousness of power; 
whilst the man thus exalted, seems raised to the 
level of a divinity, and triumphs in the worship 
of his fellow-creatures : but, alas! such glory is 
too much for mortals, and nothing can be mere 
evanescent, or rather, nothing a more certain 
prelude to dicfgrace. 

Elvira, however, knew not that her popu« 
larity was too great to be lasting. She impli- 
citly believed her people would continue to feel 
what they now expressed, and, catching the 
spirit of the moment, she persuaded them to 
sign an abolition of the laws, and a confirmation 



THE MUMMY. 127 

of her absolute power. The people obeyed 
with rapture; the enthusiasm which animated 
them had not yet abated ; and even if Elvira 
had desired their lives, they would have obeyed. 
They considered her inspired, and it seemed 
sacrilege even to hesitate to comply with her 
commands. 

So powerful was the energy of a woman^s 
will, and so sure it is that a determined spirit 
may overcome any difficulties when once roused 
resolutely to exert itself. Such also is the in- 
fluence of beauty and eloquence upon the hu- 
man mind, and so weak is judgment when 
attacked through the medium of the senses. 

In the mean time, the council of Elvira had 
met in their usual apartment, and were hold* 
ing a solemn consultation, previous to going to 
receive the petitions, on the propriety of ad- 
dressing the people whom they might find assem- 
bled in the Square, respecting the illness and 
consequent incapacity for reigning of the Queen. 

^^ Thinking as I think, and as I am con- 
fident every one here must think,^ said Lord 
Gustavus de Montfort, ** there is no middle 



12$ THE MUMMV. 

course to be pursued : a regency must be ap- 
pointed, or the government will be over- 
turned.^ 

'* Oh ! there is no doubt, we cannot exist 
without a regency,*^ said Lord Noodle. 

** Yes, yes ! we must have a regency !*" cried 
Lord Doodle. 

^^ It appears to me, to say the least of it, 
premature,'' observed the Duke of -Exeter, 
who, from his regard for Edmund, had hitherto 
observed a cautious neutrality ; ^^ I think, be- 
fore deciding upon so important a question, we 
should at least examine her Majesty's phy- 
sicians, and be guided by their report." 

•'* His Grace is quite right," said Lord 
Noodle. 

^' We ought to examine the physicians," said 
Lord Doodle. 

** One of them has just entered the council 
chamber," observed Lord Gustavus ; ** I pre- 
sume he brings the usual daily bulletin of her 
Majesty's health : is it your pleasure, my lords, 
that he be examined ?" 

** By all means !" cried all the noble lords 
simultaneously, and Dr. Hardman advanced. 



THE MUMMV. 129 

*^ How is her most gracious Majesty ?" asked 
Lord Gustavus, with his usual solemnity. 

** Alas ! my lord/' said Dr. Hardman^ " her 
Majesty has slept badly, and is much worse 
this morning.'" 

" Is she still delirious ?" asked the Duke of 
Exeter. 

" Quite, your Grace," returned the doctor, 
shaking his head. 

"Then I fear there is no hope.'*'' said the 
duke. 

" None !" said Lord Noodle, shaking his 
head. 

" None !" echoed Lord Doodle, shaking his., 

'^ Thinking -as I think, and as I am sure 
every one here must think, or at least ought to 
think," said Lord Gustavus, " we must not 
suffer the interests of the people to be invaded 
with impunity. The constitution requires 
watching over, and I consider this a matter 
which ought to be inquired into." 

*• Then you think the senses of the Queen 
irrecoverable ?" asked the Duke of Exeter, ad- 
dressing Dr. Hardman. 

6 5 . 



180 THE MUMMY. 

** Not irrecoverable, I hope, my lord duke," 
replied the doctor ; ** though I own her deli* 
rium is alarming.'^' 

'^ What does she rave about ?" asked Lord 
Doodle ; curioedty being the only mark he ever 
gave of his being a rational animal. 

'^ It is a delicate subject,^' returned the 
doctor; *^ and if your lordships will excuse 



^^ Oh, no! you must tell us,*^ said Lord 
Doodle. 

'* Thinking as I think, and as I am sure 
every one who hears me must think, or at least 
ought to think," said Lord Gustavus ; '^ con- 
cealment in this case would be a crime." 

^^ Since your lordships command me," replied 
the doctor, ^' however reluctant I may be to 
betray her Majesty^s secrets, it is my duty to 
obey. The Queen raves incessantly of Prince 
Ferdinand. 

^^ I feared as much,*^ said the Duke of Exeter. 

^^ And do you think if she recovers she ^11 
want to marry him P" asked Lord Doodle* 

^^ I fear it cannot be doubted, my Lord :" 
returned the doctor. 



THE MUMMY. 131 



it 



Then, thinking as I think, and as every 
free-bom Englishman ought to think/^ said 
Lord Gustavus, '^ she will forfeit her crown."^ 

A deep silence followed this daring speech, 
yet, though no one assented to it, no one 
attempted to contradict it. In fact, every man 
seemed afraid of committing himself; for, though 
every one thought Lord Gustavus would not 
have ventured so far, had he not felt assured 
the party against the Queen was strong, yet no 
one liked to be the first to declare himself her 
opponent. This awkward pause was broken by 
the entrance of Sir Ambrose and Father Morris, 
who came with a message from the Duke of 
Cornwall, imploring them not to decide upon 
any measure hastily, and infoming them that 
on the following day his physicians assured him 
he would be able to assist their deliberations in 
person. 

'^ We all esteem and respect the duke,** said 
Lord Gustavus. ^^ But, thinking as I think, 
and as I am confident every one who hears me 
must think, or at least ought to think, not even 
our respect for him ought to induce us to 
consent that the Queen should marry a fo* 



1S2 THE MUHMr. 

reigner I No, no, we must not let priyate feel- 
ings make us risk the interests of the people.'^ 

" I dare say they will not be in any danger,^ 
murmured the soft, inanuating voice of Father 
Morris — " I dare say they will run no risk. 
Foreigners have sometimes been known to re- 
spect the interests of a people, and reign as glo- 
riously as native-bom monarchs." 

** Not often, I believe, father,^' said Sir Am- 
brose. *^ At any rate, I am sure it would 
break the duke^s heart to see his daughter mar- 
ried to Prince Ferdinand, and I am sure it 
would break mine to see him King of England. 
Weak, silly Elvira ! I cannot account for her 
infatuation ; and I have no patience with her, 
for causing all this misery solely by her folly.^ 

^^ You use strong language. Sir Ambrose,*^ 
said the Duke of Exeter. 

'^ Not stronger than the occasion requires, 
my lord duke,'' returned the worthy baronet. 
^ I have known the Queen from her childhood, 
and loved her as a daughter ; but now — "^ 

*^ The matter must certainly be inquired 
into^'^ said Lord Gustavus. ^^ It is the duty of 



THE MUMMY. 133 

every well-disposed patriotic Englishman not to 
suffer the slightest invasioii of the constitution. 
Our laws are our bulwarks ; we ought to die in 
defence of our laws; and if the Queen be no 
longer in a fit state to administer them, or if 
she contemplate the deagn of putting the ad- 
ministration of them into hands in which their 
purity will be contaminated, then, thinking as 
I think, and as I feel confident every indivi- 
dual who hears me must think, or, at least, 
ought to think, there can remain only one course 
for us to pursue.*^ 

** Perhaps," said Father Morris,. " we may 
be deceived, and the delirium of the Queen may 
be transient, or, at least, her mentioning the 
name of Prince Ferdinand in her ravings quite 
accidental. It is not well to be too rash — ^ 

" Oh, no, reverend father,'* replied Lord 
Gustavus, " you deceive yourself. Your ab- 
straction from the world, and the goodness of 
your heart, lead you to judge too favourably 
of others; but we, who know the world, see 
deeper. You, holy father, can form no idea of 
the folly of human passions; you are above 



184 THB MITMIIY. 

their weaknesses, and cannot suspect that in 
another^ which you are incapable of feeling 
yourself : but^ as I siud before, we that know 
the world see deeper. Elvira is in love with 
Prince Ferdinand, and is quite capable of sa» 
crificing her throne and people to the caprices 
of a romantic passion.** 

*^ Impossible P cried Father Morris, with 
well-acted astonishment 

** It is very true, notwithstanding,** said 
Lord Gustavus, shaking his head sagaciously ; 
whilst his attendant satellites, the Lords 
Noodle and Doodle, shook theirs for sym* 
pathy. 

'^ Impossible I'' cried Sir Ambrose ; '^ she 
cannot surely carry her infatuation to such a 
height: she is too noble: but even if she be 
so mad, will no one step forward and save her 
from destruction V 

^* I do not see how any one can save her, if 
such be her intentions,** said the Duke of Ex- 
eter. *^ Women are proverbially self-willed ; 
and, now that the people have put the laws 
into her own hands — ^ 



THE MUMMY. 185 

" The people were cajoled into consent," ex- 
claimed Lord Gustavus ; ^* but if the Queen 
be so mad as to intend to marry the prince, she 
must lose her throne and suffer death, for the 
laws against foreigners remain inexorable.'* 

*^ Yes, the laws are inexorable V^ echoed the 
Lords Noodle and Doodle. 

** Grood Heaven T cried Sir Ambrose, ** is 
it possible I am in England, and yet hear such 
barbarous sentiments openly avowed ? No 
one has more right to feel anger at the folly of 
Elvira than myself; but even I cannot bear 
such cruelty. What ! is a young and beauti- 
ful woman, in the very flower of her age, to be 
doomed to destruction merely for having shown 
a susceptible heart P Forbid it, Heaven ! And 
what are we, that we should dare to judge so 
harshly and refuse mercy to a fellow-creature ? 
Are we not all feeble P Do we not all err ? And 
if we show such cruelty in judging a trifling of- 
fence, how shall we expect mercy for our own 
more wdghty ones P Have mercy, then. Let 
us show ourselves men! Let us dare to exert 
our reason and throw off the shackles of preju- 



186 THB MUMMY. 

dice. We boost that the law in this case makes 
us free, and arms us with power against our 
Sovereign. Let us use that power, then, and 
show that we are really free by daring to act 
justly. If we do not, we are slaves !*^ 

^^ It cannot be,^* said Lord Gustavus ; ^^ you 
talk well. Sir Ambrose, but words are nothing 
against facts. If the Queen intend to marry 
Prince Ferdinand, she must either be insane or 
intend to subvert the constitution ; and^ in 
either case, thinking as I think, and as I am 
sure every reasonable person in the kingdom 
must think, or at least ought to think, she is no 
longer competent to reign, and is no longer 
worthy to live. Eloquence is a fine thing, and 
I do not deny that the worthy baronet speaks 
fluently ; yet, notwithstanding all he can say, 
or indeed all that can be said upon the subject, 
law is law." 

" Yes, law is law !" echoed the repeating 
lords. 

" Sir Ambrose, I thank you from my soul !*' 
cried the old Duke of Cornwall, starting from 
the midst of the crowd. ** You have, indeed. 



THB MUMMY. 187 

proyed yourself my friend T but I should blush 
to think that my daughter was slandered in my 
presence^ and that I left it to another to under- 
take her defence. Yes, gentlemen, Elvira is 
slandered — I will venture my life upon her 
innocence. Her heart is English, my lords, 
thoroughly English ; she will marry no Ger- 
man; no — no, my poor, dear Elvira never 
dreamed of such a thing ; she is innocent.^' And 
here the poor old man, overpowered by his 
emotions, could not proceed, but, leaning upon 
the shoulder of his friend Sir Ambrose, wept 
bitterly. It is hard to see the tears of aged 
men ; and every one was affected : they had 
started at the sudden appearance of the duke 
amongst them ; for his gaunt looks and wasted 
form, aided by the belief of his serious illness, 
gave him more the aspect of a spectre than a 
man: and now his trembling voice, and grey 
hairs, as he attempted to vindicate his child, 
came home to the hearts of his auditors. 

^' Alas ! why is not Edmund here ?" sighed 
Sir Ambrose; '^ he would not have left the 
cause of Elvira to such feeble hands. But he 



188 THE MUMMY. 

is gone, and, wretched father that I am ! I may 
goon no lonj^r possess my darling boy. Six 
months ago, two brave sons were the pride of 
my heart, and the admiration of every eye. 
Where are they now? the one wandering in 
foreign climes, exposed to every misery of want, 
and the other confined in a prison and doomed 
to suffer an ignominious death. Alas! alas 
why has my life been spared to endure such 
misery ?** 

Whilst the old man thus lamented, a bustle 
was heard amongst the crowd, and the noble 
lords of whom it was composed, dividing, made 
way for Elvira ! With glowing cheeks and 
sparkling eyes, the Queen walked proudly along 
die lane made for her, having a roll of parch- 
ment in her hand, and with dignity took her 
seat upon the vacant throne. A solemn silence 
prevailed: the conspirators were awed by the 
sudden appearance of their Sovereign; and those 
who had hitherto remained neutral, surprised, 
stood hesitating, unknowing how to act. Elvira 
paused a few seconds, sternly surveying the 
crowd, and finding that no one attempted to 



THE MUMMY* 199 

speak, she exclaimed, '^ How, now, my Lords ! 
what means this silence ? I came to assist your 
councils, not to interrupt them. Go on, I pray 
you ; for surely such enlightened senators can 
have no sentiments they fear to breathe before 
thdr Queen.^ 

^^ We were surprised at the sudden appear- 
ance of your Majesty,^ said the Duke of 
Exeter, ^^ as, from the report of your Majesty's 
physicians, we had feared your Majesty^s 
iUnesa—'' 

'* My illness was of the mind, my Lord 
Duke !" said Elvira, *' and this is the medicine 
that has cured it. Look, my lords,^ continued 
she, unrolling the parchment she carried, and 
suddenly flashing it before their eyes— ^^ be- 
hold my pana9ea ! Now I am, indeed, a Queen ; 
{or my people have made me absolute, and, 
abolishing all laws, have placed their lives and 
fortunes at my feet.^ 

Lord Gustavus and his adherents stood 
i^ast, gazing upon the Queen and the parch- 
ment she held so triumphantly, without the 
power of uttering a word* 



140 THK MUMMY 

** Ere this," continued the Queen, " the pur- 
port of this parchment has received some thou- 
sand signatures; yet I do not wish to abuse my 
power. Go, my lords : I have no longer occa- 
sion for your counsels ; when I have, I will 
summon you.^ 

The dignified manner in which Elvira waved 
her hand as she said this, prevented reply ; and 
the lords of the council dispersed, without daring 
to utter a single syllable. The duke and Sir 
Ambrose alone remained. ^^ My dear father, 
cried Elvira, throwing her arms round his neck, 
whilst the overstrained feelings that had so 
long supported her, gave way, and she sobbed 
in ^gony upon his shoulder. 

•* Remove her to her chamber," said Dr. 
Coleman, who now appeared ; ^^ this agitation 
will destroy her — ^her exhausted frame is not 
able to endure it." 

In fact, the Queen was now completely over- 
powered, and was carried off by Emma and her 
attendants in violent hysterics. 

LordMaysworth had not been present at this 
scene, for his time had been otherwise engaged ; 



THE MUMMY. 141 

and to explain what occupied him, it will be ne- 
cessary to go back to the prison of Prince Fer- 
dinand. It may be recollected, when Cheops re- 
moved Clara, he had informed the prince that 
Lord Maysworth and Father Murphy would be 
with him in a few hours. The Mummy's infor- 
mation was correct, for at the appointed time 
they came. 

" Och r said Father Murphy, " and where 's 
Clara? So they Ve let me in after all, ye see ; 
for, knowing Lord Maysworth was your friend, 
I went to consult him ; and when he talked to 
them and tould them how barbarous it was to 
deny a poor fellow that was just going to be 
burnt aliye the consolations of religion, they 
hadn't the heart to refuse me.'" 

" Oh !^ groaned Prince Ferdinand ; " is there 
no hope of escape ?"** 

*^ I fear not,^ said Lord Maysworth; ^^for not- 
withstanding the enormous expense attending 
public executions^ the people are so fond of them, 
that it is necessary to indulge them now and 
then; and they are so devoted to Lord Ed- 
mund that his adversary has no chance. Be- 



142 THB MUM My. 

fiideS} they say there are plenty of witnesses to 
prove that you have addressed the most im- 
passioned language to the Queen ; your enthu- 
siasm one night at her singing — ^ 

** I remember,** cried Prince Ferdinand ; 
•* idiot that I was — oh ! curses on my folly.'* 

" Ah, that's right," exclaimed Father Mur- 
phy ; ** indulge yerself a little, my honey, and 
It will do ye good. I don*t know a pretthier 
amusement than cursing and swearing, and 
finding fault when one's in throuble ; and I 'd 
be far from denying ye a little harmless indul- 
gence ; for, as ye 're to die so soon it would be 
cruel, ye know, not to let ye have all the con- 
solation ye can get hold of." 

'* Oh !" exclaimed Prince Ferdinand, ** I am 
the most wretched of human beings." 

^^ And ye may say that, for I don't see any 
great hope ye have, in respect that the people 
must have a victim, and they'd like to have 
you betther than Lord Edmund. But never 
mind that, for the worst that can happen at all, 
is that ye '11 be roasted alive !" 



THE HITMHY. 143 

*^ Oh !** groaned Prince Ferdinand, not much 
consoled by this encouraging speech. 

" Wehe mir ^ exclaimed Hans ; *^ and can 
nothing be done ? — ^for though roasting alive 
may be the worst that can happen, I donH 
think my master such an amateur in cookery 
as to wish to try the experiment.^' 

" Och r cried Father Murphy, " and I 'm 
quite of your opinion ; and soj if the prince 
would just try, and get readhy a word or two 
c^ defence — or if some clevher person that 
knows the world like yere lordship, for in- 
stance, would jist give him a word or two of 
advice — the thing would be done entirely, and 
all right." 

^^ Oh !" cried the prince, clasjnng his hands 
together, " save me ! I implore you to save me !" 

^* I will do all I can," said Lord Maysworth, 
smiling most graciously; *^ rdy upon me, 
prince; the suggestion of the holy father 
shall be attended to. The gratitude I owe 
your father demands my greatest exertions — 
and I am most happy to have an opportu- 



14A THE MUMMY. 

nity of serving his sou, . This worthy father's 
plan is excellent : I wonder it did not strike 
me before. Confide, securely in me, prince ; 
a proper defence shall be prepared, and I think 
by it you may escape/' 

So saying he retired, leaving Prince Ferdi- 
nand somewhat consoled by his assurances, but 
by no means reconciled even to the posnbility of 
being roasted alive. The intermediate time be- 
tween this conversation and the day fixed for 
the trial of the prince, was spent by Lord Mays- 
wgrth in preparing, with the assistance of those 
^^ learned in the law,^ this defence : and when 
it was fimshed, his rapture was beyond descrip- 
tion. Three times did he read it over with 
still increasing satisfaction, for, as he considered 
it as his own production, he regarded it with all 
the true, yet indescribable rapture of a doating 
parent. We are all so fond of our own cljil- 
dren, whether of the mind or of the body, re- 
garding them as emanations from ourselves, 
upon which we may indulge our self-love with- 
out the grossness of undisguised vanity, that 
the transport of Lord Maysworth is not sur- 



tHE MUMMY. 145 

prising; though he actually carried it so far, 
that, notwithstanding his professed attachment 
and gratitude to the German Emperor, I be- 
lieve if the means of procuring the prince's 
escape had been offered to him, he would rather 
have let him stay at the risk of being burned 
alive, than have lost the pleasure he anticipated 
on hearing the delivery of his speech. 

The important day arrived, and the prince, 
accompanied by his faithful Hans and Lord 
. Maysworth, proceeded to the court ; the latter 
carrying his beloved brief in his own pocket, 
rightly considering it far too estimable to be 
entrusted into any other hands than his. 

The court was crowded to an excess — for 
strange tales of the passion and illness of the 
Queen had gone forth into the world, each edi- 
tion more wonderful than that which went be- 
* folfe it, and the people now thronged to see the 
prince with that extraordinary feeling, so com- 
mon amongst the English, which makes them 
stare at a great man in much the same way as 
they would at a wild beast* 

An automaton judge sat with greats dignity 

VOL. III. H 



146 THE MUMMY. 

upon a magnificent throne, looking, though a 
little heavy, quite as wise and sagacious as 
judges are wont to look. A real jury (that is, a 
jury of flesh and blood,) was ranged upon one 
side of him, and some automaton counsel sate in 
front, their briefs lying upon the table before 
them, and having behind each a clerk ready to 
wind him up when he should be wanted to 
speak ; it being found that the profession of 
the law gives such an amazing volubility of 
words, that it was dangerous to wind up the 
counsel too soon, lest they should go ofP in 
the wrong place, and so disturb the silence of 
the court. In diflerent parts of these counsel 
were holes, into which briefs being put they 
were gradually ground to pieces as the counsel 
were being wound up, till they came forth in 
words at the mouth: whilst the language in 
which the counsel pleaded, depended entirely 
upon the hole into which the brief was put, 
there being a different one for every possible 
tongue. 

All now was ready ; the prisoner with his 
friends placed themselves at the b<^j and the 



THE MUMMV* 147 

judge and jury prepared! to hear and decide 
with all due decorum. The signal to begin 
was given, and the brief for the crown being 
put into the English department of the counsel 
appointed to conduct the prosecution, the clerk 
began to wind away, and in a few minutes the 
counsel burst forth in the following impassioned 
strain of eloquence :— 

^^ My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury, 

*^ It is with feelings of the most unfeigned 
regret that I now rise to address you. Sen- 
sible — oh ! how deeply sensible am I, of my 
insufficiency ! and of the much greater com- 
petency of any one of my learned brethren 
at the bar ; and how willingly would I resign 
the task to any one of those eloquent gentle- 
men, feeling so indisputably convinced as I 
do, of their eminent talents and their merit ; 
and of their great, oh ! how much greater fit- 
ness for an undertaking of this magnitude than 
myself r 

^* A<5h ! Es ist aus mit uns i wir sind ver- 
lohren !^ cried Hans ; ^* if thou art so unfit for 

H 2 



148 THE MUMlir. 

the task, I wonder why the deuce they em- 
ployed thee !" 

*^ Peace, fool !* said the prince ; ** do you 
not see that this is only the exordium? these 
are words of course." 

The orator had paused for an instant from 
some error of his machinery ; but his clerk 
setting, him in motion again, he went on as 
follows: — 

** But having being deputed to act, 1 will 
not shrink from the arduous duty imposed 
upon me ; I will, therefore, state the principal 
points of the case; prove my facts by wit- 
nesses ; and then leave the decision to the well- 
known judgment and penetration of the en* 
lightened and intelligent tribunal before me !" 

It was here intended the counsel, sbould 
bow to the court, but, owing to his defective 
machinery, he only gave a kind of jerk, and 
then continued : — 

" My Lord, and Grentlemen, 
^^ It sometimes falls to the lot of members of 
my profession to relate ttatounding circum« 



THE MUMMY. 149 

Stances and soul-h^rowing facts ! — facts which 
pierce into the inmost souls of their auditors, 
and rend their tortured spirits by their iron 
fangs ! as the teeth of the tangible harrows 
pierce into and rend asunder the clods of in- 
animate earth over which they are dragged ! 
But what I shall have to tell you, gentlemen, 
will make even facts like these hide their di- 
minished heads, and run skulking into comers 
like owls, trembling, and flying hooting away 
on being exposed to the scorching glare of the 
noonday sun. 

** Do you not tremble, gentlemen ? — do not 
your hearts pant in breathless expectation of 
what is coming ? Indulge your anticipations-— 
bid fancy take her wildest flight, and let imagi- 
nation conjure up all the horrors of the infernal 
regions. Faint the angel of death hovering 
upon leathern wings over a devoted city — and 
shrieking mothers imploring mercy in vain for « 
their murdered children ! Paint all the multi- 
plied horrors of famine, fire, and carnage ! — 
paint miserable starving wretches screaming 
wildly for food, and, in the agonies oi despair, 



150 THE MUMMT. 

gnawing the flesh from their own withering 
bones ! — Paint flames surrounding with their 
pointed arms an helpless family crying in bitter 
anguish for the aid which cannot be afforded 
them !— paint witches celebrating their detested 
sabaoth ! Imagine demons indulging in their 
infernal revels ! Yes, paint and picture to 
yourself all these, and ten thousand bther hor-> 
rors, each more frightful than the last ; — dwell 
upon them— 4et them haunt your imagination ; 
but whatever you may fancy, picture, or paint, 
nothing can ever equal the horror you will feel 
when you learn the crime of which the prisoner 
at the bar stands accused. Know then — my 
tongue falters as I speak, and my quivering 
lips almost refuse to give utterence to the ap- 
palling sounds — ^know that he has dared, im- 
piously and presumptuously dared — to fall in 
love with the Queen ! ! ! 

^^ I see your indignation at such baseness — 
I feel the virtuous shame that burns upon every 
cheek — ^yes, yes, my friends, I too am an Eng- 
lishman, and I, like you, spurn with disdain the 
thought of submitting to a stranger. What do 



4 
1 



THE MUMMY. 151 

we want with a King ? Has not the country 
been happy, prosperous, and flourishing— res- 
^m pected at home, and honoured abroad, all under 

the mild dominion of a Queen ? — Yes, yes, my 
friends, it has, and, under her gentle sway, the 
murderous weapon of war has been converted 
into a ploughshare; the nodding helmet and 
ponderous corslet into the peaceful wig and 
graceful gown ; and the grim aspect of frown- 
ing ruin and grinning desolation into the be- 
witching smiles of benignant peace and over- 
whelming plenty. Long, long may peace con- 
tinue to shed her benignant smiles upon us. — 
Long, long may we sit beneath the grateful 
shade of her olive branches ; and long, long may 
their feathery foliage hang in graceful festoons 
above our heads, and their pale green wreaths 
encircle our brows; for in the arms of peace 
lie joy, ease, and happiness — ^her smile gives 
health and contentment^ and her blessing 
wealth. 

'^ And what threatens to affright this en- 
chanting deity from our shores ? ^Tis this au- 
dacious stranger, who deserves the bitterest 



152 THE MUMKT. 

punishment for his unparalleled atrocity. But 
this is not all ; — ^not satisfied with endeavouring 
to destroy the happiness of the Queendom, and 
OTerturn the laws enacted by the wisdom of 
our ancestors^ he has done more : yes, intole- 
rable as his crimes have been, there is still one 
more deadly behind. Shudder, my friends, 
and turn away your eyes as the fear-inspiring 
words drop from my tongue. — He has dared to 
draw arms within the precincts of the reginal 
palace. 

" Insufferable audacity ! Hear this, ye shades 
of former royalty, and tremble in your Elysian 
groves, at the profane hand which has dared 
thus boldly to invade your august 'privileges. 
Can it be believed ? Will after-ages credit the 
report ? Oh no, no ! the fact will appear too 
monstrous for even credulity itself to swallow ! 

*^ When the crime, the fatal crime was com- 
mitted, earth trembled beneath his feet : the 
winds hushed their murmurs, and all nature 
stood aghast. The frightened ocean receded 
from its rocky bed. Pluto rushed shivering 
from his nether throne, and Neptune waved ia 



'^ 



THE MUMUV. 153 

vain his tranquillizing trident. The elements 
were convulsed ; lightning streamed from the 
swords of the combatants, and thunder rolled 
above their heads, as they stood, like two heroes 
of Arabian fiction, wielding the elements in 
their wrath ! 

** But I have done, ray lord and gentlemen ; I 
say no more; for I scorn to prejudice your 
minds against the prisoner, or make the slight- 
est appeal to your feelings to condemn him. 
However, this I must say, that if ever a case 
could rouse every nerve of a true-born English- 
man against it, it is this. Does any man dread 
to be torn from the calm delights of his com- 
fortable fireside, where he was surrounded by 
his adoring wife and attentive children, and 
doomed to incur all the wretchedness of misery 
and want? — ^let him condemn the prisoner. 
Does any man dread being dragged across 
burning sands, or forced to wade up to the 
knees in water through marshy deserts? — let 
him condemn the prisoner. Would any man 
shudder to be obliged to sleep upon the hard 
cold ground, his limbs racked with rheumatism, 

H 5 



154 THE MUMMY. 

and his body exposed to all the vicissitudes of 
hunger, thirst, and inclement seasons, whilst his 
life is endangered every instant ? — ^let him con- 
demn the prisoner ; — ^but if he prefer these hor- 
rors to the comforts of a warm down bed, or if 
he enjoy the prospect of having his substance 
devoured by tax gatherers, to support the ex- 
penses of a foreign war, then let the prisoner 
be acquitted. — But — unless — he — can — make — 
up— his — mind to — under-go — privations — like 
— ^these— let— him — aid — by — his — ^vote— -to 
condemn — ^the — wretch — who— 

And here the orator stopt abruptly, being 
quite gone down. He had indeed uttered the 
last words gradually slower and slower, and at 
lengthened intervals, because the attendant 
clerk had unfortunately given him a turn too 
little, and had not screwed him up quite tight 
enough. The witnesses were now called. Se- 
veral spoke to the circumstance of the extrava- 
gant admiration expressed by the prince of 
Elvira's singing ; others deposed to the fact of 
the combat, and others mentioned the Queen's 
sighing and abstraction ; but the principal one 



THE MUMMY. 155 

distinctly stated, that he had heard the prince 
make the Queen an offer of his hand in the gar- 
dens of the Somerset House, and that ^e had 
consented to marry him if she could obtain the 
consent of her people. A general thrill of 
indignation ran through the Court at this evi- 
dence, and it was with difficulty that silence 
was obtained for the pleading of the defendant. 
At last all was still, and the attendant clerk 
began to wind up the counsel for the prince. 
Lord Maysworth watched the moment; but 
being afraid to trust his beloved brief into any 
hands but his own^ unfortunately in his agi- 
tation, he popt it into the wrong hole, and when 
the counsel began to speak, he burst forth in 
French f Words are wanting to express Lord 
Maysworth's unutterable consternation at this 
unfortunate accident. 

" Stop ! stop r cried he, " Hush ! hush ! 
Can nobody stop him?" but the inexorable 
counsel would not stop : — ^for once wound up, 
and properly set in motion, not all the powers 
of Heaven and earth combined could stop him 
till he had fairly run down. 



156 THE MUMMY. 

" What shall I do?" cried Lord Maysworth, 
in an agony of despair ; " for, if the judge and 
jury don't understand French, my fine oration 
will be utterly lost.'' 

" Oh, if that be all,*" said the clerk, " your 
lordship need not distress yourself, for as soon 
as I found what was going on, I ran up to 
the judge and pulled out his lordship's French 

stop r 

And the gentlemen of the jury ?" 

Oh, they all understand French.^' 

" It is well,'' said Lord Maysworth, " though 

I am still sorry the hole happened to be French, 

as I am afraid the verbosity of the language 

may deteriorate the strength of my expres- 



(( 

<( 



sions." 



Thus muttered the noble lord, not sorry, 
however, I believe, if the whole truth were to 
be openly declared, that he had an excuse in 
the change of languages for the failure of his 
speech, if it should not happen to meet with 
that brilliant success that he felt so perfectly 
confident it deserved. 






THK MUMMV. 1S7 

The counsel, in the mean time, went on. The 
following is a translation of his speech i-r- 

My lord, and gentlemen of the jury. 

It is with feelings of considerable diffidence 
and hesitation, that I rise to address you, after 
the flood of eloquence which has poured from 
my learned brother. I, gentlemen, am not 
gifted with such an enviable facility of speech ; 
nor is my imagination endowed with that crea- 
tive power he has so forcibly displayed. I 
cannot, gentlemen, like him 

Uprear the dub of Hercules — For what ? 
To crush a butterfly^ or brain a gnat. 

Nor have I the least intention of drawing 
either Neptune or Pluto from the quiet "nap 
they have been taking for so many centuries, to 
assist in our debate. I assure you, also, gentle- 
men, that I shall neither disturb the ocean from 
its rocky bed, nor make Nature stand aghast. — 
No, my lord and gentlemen, my intentions are 
perfectly pacific, and your harassed imagina- 
tions may repose tranquilly upon my speech, 
after the tumultuous one of my learned brother, 



158 THE MUMMY. 

as the way-worn traveller rests peaceably upon 
the soft green turf, after having been tossed 
about upon the heaving billows of the tem- 
pestuous ocean. 

'Tis sweet to rest^ from dread of danger free. 
And mark the billows of the foaming sea; 
'Tis sweet, a little sldff to safely urge 
Through the tempestuous ocean's boiling surge ; 
To hear the pattering rains against the roof. 
And feel your hospitable mansion proof. 
But sweeter far the troubled mind's repose 
When of a speech like this, it hears the dose. 

When I listened to the powerful exordium 
of my learned friend— and I did listen to him 
with the most profound attention — I confess my 
imagination was too highly excited to be satis- 
fied with so lame and impotent a conclusion. — 
* What I** cried I, ^ have the laws of nature 
been reversed — have demons been disturbed in 
their infernal revels, and witches called from 
their dusky caverns, merely because a beautiful 
woman has excited a tender passion in the 
breast of a youthful stranger!' Is this so ex- 
traordinary an occurrence that it should create 
such excessive wonder ? Are our hearts so dead 



THE MUMMY. 159 

• 

to beauty that such a catastrophe should occa- 
sion surprise ? Forbid it, Heaven ! No, whilst 
our hearts still throb in our bosoms, may they 
ever beat responsive to the attractions of the 
fair ! May we never become insensible to the 
charms of the loveliest objects of creation ! May 
we ever own their witchery, and bend beneath 
their magic sway! or man, degraded man, 
would soon sink below the level of the brutes. 
View man as he degenerates when secluded from 
the influence of female society; — is he not 
rough, brutal, and unpolished ? Does he not 
want all those winning graces and those delicate 
attentions which form so undeniably the charm 
and solace of life ? In proportion as our sensi- 
biUty, as our goodness, and all the best feelings 
of our nature are awakened, we become sus- 
ceptible of love. It is, indeed, excessive sensi- 
bility, and a kindly feeling to our fellow-crea- 
tures, that creates it. Does there exist a gene- 
rous or noble mind that has not felt this pas- 
sion ? No, not one ! there is, indeed, something 
generous and ennobling in it. We cannot pre- 
fer the welfare of another to our own, nor be 



160 THE MUMMY. 

completely absorbed in another^s being with 
the devotedness of true love, without becoming 
purified in our ideas, and riused from that dis* 
gusting selfishness which is ever the inspirer of 
base and mean actions. 

Yes^ love indeed is light from Heaven^ 

A spark of that immortal fire^ 
With angels shared^ by Alia given^ 

To lift from earth our low desire. 
Devotion wafts the mind above^ 
But Heaven itself descends in love. 

And from this heavenly, this inspiring feeling, 
shall my unfortunate client be debarred ? Hear 
me, ye shades of heroic lovers, who, though 
dying for the hopeless object of your passion, 
have still exclaimed, with the enthusiastic de- 
votion of a modern poet — 

Lead on^ lead on^ though horrors wait 
In awful fury round thy gate ! 
And danger^ deaths and grim despair^ 
Forbid my hopeless passage there ! 
If love, still smiling^ beekon on. 
The path is passed, the gate is won ! 

And ye poets and philosophers, who have 
painted love as the oasis of the Desert^ the 



THE MUMMY. 161 

green spot in meinory''s waste, where affection 
still lingers even when hope decays ; have you 
no compassion for my unhappy client, whose 
only fault was * that she was beautiful, and be 
not blind ?' And is this an offence for which a 
man deserves to be burnt alive ? Forbid it, 
humanity ! forbid it, mercy ! No, no ! such in- 
human cruelty exists not in the breasts of 
Englishmen. I know, I. feel that you must 
acquit my client on this head. 

'* But this is not the only charge brought 
against him ; he is accused of having violated 
the sanctity of a royal palace, by drawing his 
sword within its precincts. To describe the 
enormity of this crime, my learned friend 
has brought forward such an overwhelming 
torrent of eloquence, that unhappily his 
meaning was swept away in the current of 
his words. At least I suppose so, as, with 
all my industry, I have been totally unable to 
find it. As, however, I cannot imagine my 
learned friend could have harangued so long 
without having some meaning in what he said, 
I suppose it has slipped undiscovered into some 



162 THE MUMMY. 

sly comer, where it lies^ poor thing ! quite con- 
cealed, and ahnost crushed to death by the 
ponderous weight of metaphors heaped upon it. 
Gentlemen, my cUent drew his sword in the 
Royal Garden. This is the plain statement of 
the fact, when stripped of the load of orna- 
ments with which my learned friend has encum- 
bered it My client, a stranger to the English 
laws and customs, chanced to be walking in the 
public garden belonging to a Royal palace. He 
there met a nobleman of the court ; from causes 
irreleyant to the question before us, high words 
took place between them. My client was 
grossly insulted in a manner impossible to be 
borne by a man calling himself a gentleman, or 
making the least pretensions to honour. He 
drew his sword to defend himsdf* Can any 
thing be more simple P And yet t»r this, all 
created nature is thrown into confusion, and 
Neptune and Pluto called shivering from their 
beds. Gentlemen, my learned friend's brain 
was teeming with a monstrous conception ; and 
longing to be delivered, he dragged it into 
the speech with which we have just been 



THE MUMMY. 168 

favoured. Not satisfied with piercing us 
through with the fangs of a mental harrow; 
plunging us into all the disasters of war, and 
distracting our imaginations by exhibiting the 
c(Mnbined effects of plague, pestilence, and fa- 
mine— -he has entangled, in his snares, these 
unfortunate deities, whom he has forced to 
upper earth to bear witness on his behalf, I 
am afraid, very much against their wills. No- 
thing, indeed, can be more distressing than to 
see an unfortunate thought thus hunted through 
the meandering of a sentence ; a crowd of un- 
meaning words, like a pack of hungry dogs 
pressing close at its back, till at last worn out 
and completely exhausted, it sinks feebly away, 
and gives up the ghost so quietly, that no one 
can reasonaMy imagine what can possibly have 
become of it. 

** Thus it was with the argument of my learn- 
ed friend, it has vanished amidst the bustle he 
created around it. One thing more, my Lord 
and Gentlemen, and I have done ; for I shall 
not, like my learned friend, after disclaiming all 
intentions of appealing to your feelings, endea- 



164 THE MUMMY. 

Vour by an artful peroration to come home to 
your inmost souls. It is simply this, that my 
client is a stranger, the son of a powerful fo- 
reign monarch, and, of course, as he has never 
taken any oath of allegiance to the English 
government, he is not amenable to the English 
laws. After stating this fact, I sit down, confi- 
dently assured that your verdict will be in my 
favour, and that by it you will again vindi- 
cate that proud right you have so long and so 
gloriously maintained of acting always as en- 
lightened and free-born Englishmen.^ 

As the orator sat down, a tumult of applause 
rang through the hall, and the delight of Lord 
Maysworth can be only justly appreciated by 
an author who recollects what he felt when he 
first heard of the success of a favourite work. 
But he had little time for exultatk«% as the 
Judge, having been wound up in his tum, now 
began to sum up the evidence. Slowly and 
heavily did he go on, the machinery that com- 
posed him wanting oil, and creaking ominously 
as it moved, whilst, ere he had half finished, a 



THE MUMMY. 165 

cry was heard through the outer court, and 
instantly a rush of people announced the arrival 
of the Queen. 

After the exertions made by Elvira the pre- 
vious day, her fever returned, and she lay in- 
sensible to every thing that passed till she was 
restored to recollection by the tolling of a deep- 
toned bell^ which was always set in motion the 
moment a prisoner was put upon his defence. 
She heard the solemn sound distinctly ; the 
court where state criminals were tried, adjoin- 
ed the palace, in order that the Queen might 
have an opportunity of hearing appeals, or de* 
ciding on any difScult case that might arise; 
though as offences against the state had been 
very rare in the female dynasty, (whether from 
the goodness of the people or the severity of the 
punishment, I leave it for my readers to deter- 
mine,) the privilege had been seldom called in 
action, and the bell now grated harshly, as it 
tolled. Elvira, however, had heard of the cus- 
tom, and its cause flashed instantly upon her 
niind, as she started from her bed, and listened 



166 THE HUM MY. 

to the solemn sound as it fell slowly and hea* 
vily upon her ear, every knell seeming to strike 
upon the naked nerve. 

^^ Emma !^ cried she, ** let me go — quick, let 
me save him, or I shall be too late."*' Emma 
obeyed ; but whilst she was attiring her mistress 
every moment seemed an age, and Elvira lis- 
tened to the heavy tolling bell till the sense of 
hearing became agony ; and, unable to endure 
any more, she pressed her hands firmly against 
her ears to shut out the dreaded soimd. At 
length she was ready, and hurrying to the 
court, arrived just at the critical moment I 
have mentioned. 

" Stop !" cried she, *^1 command you to stop 
proceedings. The prisoner is free. My peo- 
ple have given me a right to pardon all offences, 
and I thus first exercise it. Set him free !^ 

The guards obeyed ; and it not being possible 
to stop the automaton judge till he had run 
down^ he was carried out of court, repeating, 
(for it happened he was summing up the evi- 
dence at that moment,) ^^ And the Queen said 



THE MUMMY. 167 

she loved him, and would sacrifice even her life 
for his sake.** 

" You are free. Sir,'' said Elvira to the 
prince. " I only blush that a stranger should 
have been so inhospitably treated in my court. 
My illness^ however, must plead my excuse; 
and I can only now show my sorrow by re- 
leasing you from the parole of honour you have 
given. You are absolutely free, prince, not 
only from these chains, but also to leave the 
kingdom whenever you shall think fit.** 

The prince, in a transport of gratitude, knel^^ 
and kissed her hand; and then retired with 
his friends to the house of Lord Maysworth ; 
whilst Elvira, satisfied with herself, and hoping 
she had disarmed scandal by desiring the prince 
to quit the kingdom, returned to her palace 
more happy than she had felt since the fatal 
combat in the garden. 



168 THE MUMHY. 



CHAPTER V. 

The effect produced by the scene just de- 
scribed upon the minds of the multitude was 
magical. It seemed a confirmation " strong as 
proofs of holy writ" of all that had been urged 
against the Queen, and alienated from her side 
even those who had remained neutral. 

^^ I really could not have believed it possi- 
ble," said the Duke of Exeter, as he retired 
slowly from the court. 

^' Thinking as I think, and as I am confident 
every one else must think, or at least ought to 
think,'' said Lord Gustavus, " she seems to 
have lost all sense even of common decency." 

" What do you say to this, Sir Ambrose ?'* 
asked Dr. Hardman triumphantly. 



THB MUMMT. 169 

" Nothing," replied Sir Ambrose, sighing. 

^^ Then the. case is hopeless," said the Duke 
of Exeter ; " for I know Sir Ambrose so well, 
that I am certain if a single word could be said 
in the Queen's behalf, he would not remain 
silent." 

** Your grace judges me too favourably ,'' re- 
turned Sir Ambrose ; '^ for there is, on the con- 
trary, much to be said for the Queen, if I had 
been disposed to say it. You see the story of 
her wishing to marry Ferdinand was evidently 
false, for she desired him in plain terms to quit 
the kingdom." 

" A mere blind," cried Lord Gustavus, who 
felt he had now gone too far to recede ; ^^ an 
absolute farce; and I am only astonished a 
man of your penetration^ Sir Ambrose, could 
have been deceived by it." 

<* It has long been the proudest boast of the 
English law,^' said Sir Ambrose, " that every 
one is presumed innocent until he be proved 
guilty; and I confess I do not see why the 
Queen should alone be made an exception to 
the rule," 

VOL. III. I 



170 THV M0MMT. 

Lord Guatavus made no r^ljy aad the party 
proceeded to their aev^al homes. The follow- 
ing day was appomted for the trial of Lord 
Edmund, and the court was, if po«nble, yet 
more crowded than before; for the singular 
termination of Prince Ferdinand^s trial, had 
created the most intense anxiety upon the part 
of the mob to know what would be the result 
of that of Lord Edmund. It has been already 
stated that he was the id(4 of the people, dnd 
now thousands of human voices shouted his 
praises to the sky, and heaped curses and exe- 
crations upon his enemies. 

The tumult, however, was hushed to breath- 
less expectation when it was announced that 
the officers of justice were gone in search of the 
prisoner ; and innumerable human beings stood 
craning their necks over the lane made for his 
approach through the crowd, all eager to catch 
the first glimpse of him. But what language 
can express their disappointment and surprise 
when they saw the officers return, pale and 
tremUiiig, fear painted upon their counte- 



THE MUMMY. 171 

4 

nances, and their teeth chattering in their 
heads! 

^^ He is gone,'* they cried : " the prison door 
was locked, and the windows fast, but he is 
gone ; and doubtless some evil spirit has car- 
ried him off*" 

Great was the consternation excited by this 
unexpected news; every one rushed to the 
prison, and each in turn was struck with horror 
on finding it exactly in the state the officers had 
described. — " It is the Mummy that has done 
this,"- said the people, whispering amongst 
themselves : ^' some horrible event certainly 
hangs over us ; and it is in vain to attempt to 
resist our destiny ! All is supernatural, and 
we are merely blind instruments in the hands 
of Fate.'' 

The disappearance of Lord Edmund had, 
however, nothing supernatural in it ; and, in- 
deed was effected by very ample means, and 
mere mortal agents. The agitation of his 
mind after his interview with Cheops became 
excessive, and every hour seemed stretched to 

iS 



172 THE MUMMT. 

an unnatural length as he anxiously awaited 
Father Morris's return ; but the monk came 
not. Lord Edmund's impatience increased 
every instant, till it became absolute agony; 
yet still he was alone. He paced his chamber 
with uncertain steps — ^his brain burning with 
indpient madness, till no longer knowing what 
he did, he dashed his head against the walls, 
and tore of his hair by handfuls. In this 
state the gaoler found him ; and reporting his 
condition, his trial, which was to have taken 
place previously to that of Ferdinand, was 
postponed a few days to allow time for his 
recovery. 

Bleeding and blistering reduced Lord Ed- 
mund's fever ; but his soul was still on fire. In 
the paroxysms of his disorder, no less than in 
his lucid intervals, one sole idea seemed to have 
taken possession of his fancy ; and he inquired 
incessantly if Father Morris were returned. 
No^ no, was the continual answer to his queries; 
till the heart of the poor prisoner sickened 
within him at the sound. At length he appear- 
ed well enough to take his trial, and the day 



THE MUMMV. 173 

was fixed, as we have already stated. The 
mind of Edmund now seemed tolerably com- 
posed ; but it was the stillness of epathy, rather 
than that of resignation ; and on the night pre* 
ceding the day fixed for his trial, some of his 
former anxious and tormenting fantasies re- 
turned. 

'^ I will shake off this weakness,^' said he ; 
*^ I will read ;^ and drawing his chair near the 
fire, he took up a book : it was in vain, how- 
ever ; for though he read over the same page 
repeatedly, he could not compose his mind 
sufficiently to comprehend its meaning. He 
threw his book aside, and, fixing his eyes upon 
the fire, was soon lost in gloomy meditation) : 
when a slight noise attracted his attention; 
and, looking round, he saw a panel in the wall 
slowly detach itself, and Father Morris appear 
in the aperture, followed by another figure, 
closely wrapped in a large black cloak. 

" Father Morris !^' cried Edmund ; " is it 
indeed Father Morris ; or some kind spirit that 
has assumed his shape ?^ 

It is indeed I, my son P returned the 



« 



174 THB MUMMT. 

priest ; ^^ and I come to rescue and console 

** Methinks you come somewhat late, fadier/^ 
said Edmund rather coldly ; ^^ for I have suf- 
fered much since I saw you !^ 

'^ Others have suffered also,^ resumed the 
monk, '^ and for your sake ! Notwithstanding 
you have fancied yourself neglected and for- 
gotten by all the worlds there is one humaii 
being who has never ceased to watch over you ; 
who thinks only of you ; who makes your hap- 
piness her only care ; and who would sacrifice 
her life to preserve yours T 

Edmunds's heart beat, and his cheeks glowed 
as he exclaimed! "And this kind friend 
is—" 

*^ Now before you !" interrupted the monk ; 
tearing aside the cloak which shrouded his com- 
panion, and discovering— Rosabella ! 

" Rosabella ;'^ exclaimed Edmund ; a slight 
shade of disappointment passing over his fea- 
tures. 

^* Oh Edmund!^ cried Rosabella, throwing 

« 

herself at his feet, ^' can you forget that I have 



THS MVMMT. 174F 

overstepped the bounds prescribed to my sex : 
will you not hate me ?^ 

'* I do not blame you. I were unworthy 
of the name of man if I could. But father, 
what says Elvira? Have you delivered the 
chain ?'' 

*^ She refuses either to see or hear from 
you.'* 

^' Cruel woman ! But perhaps she dreads to 
see me P" 

'^I know not; but she treated your peti- 
tion with contempt. ' Tell him/ said she, * il 
is not possible he can have aught to say that 
can interest me. I will not hear his suit-' ^ 

^* Proud, haughty princess ! But was thk 

aur' 

^ No : I again entreated her to see you 
when she turned from me in scorn, and bade 
me leave her. ^ Talk not to me of Edmund,' 
cried she, with a look of ineffable cont^npt, 
* Has he not wounded Ferdinand, and would 
you have me forgive him ?— -a thousand deaths 
are not sufficient to punish such a crime !* 

'^ What strange infatuation i" 



176 THE HUMMT. 



€€ 



Strange, indeed — ^for she has interrupted 
his trial and set him free ; besides which, they 
say she has actually offered her hand and he has 
refused it ; yet still she doats upon him to dis- 
traction. * Gro,^ continued she, when I had 
finished all I had to say, and tell Edmund, 
that I neither hate nor despise him, for he is in- 
capable of exciting any emotion in my breast ; 
however, if he wishes to make amends for his 
past conduct, and be restored to my favour, his 
first step must be, humbly to beg pardon of the 
prince.*'' 

'^ Damnation !" cried Edmund, starting up 
fiercely : ^^ she did not, surely she could not, 
say that ?" 

Indeed she did, my lord." 
Then may ten thousand curses light upon 
me if I forgive her ! Pardon of that wretch ! 
ray slave ! my prisoner I no, sooner would I 
expire in horrid torments — -sooner be torn asun- 
der by wild beasts. — Pardon of that boy ! — oh ! 
she could not mean it." 

Whilst Edmund thus raved, Father Morris 
and Rosabella watched his torments with much 






THB MUM Mr. 177 

of the same coolness, as a French philosopher 
would those of an unfortunate animal upon 
which he was trying experiments. No feeling 
of compassion entered their souls, and they 
only waited to see the effect their words would 
produce. It may easily be perceived that the 
whole scene which Father Morris related as hav- 
ing passed between him and Elvira, was a fa- 
brication ; but Lord Edmund saw not this, for 
jealousy often throws a veil over the eyes of its 
victims, which gives a delusive colouring to 
every thing they see. Thus, Lord Edmund 
believed every word the father uttered, and his 
whole frame trembled with agitation as he paced 
the room with hasty strides. At last, he threw 
himself upon a chair — *^ Beg his pardon !** ex- 
claimed he : ** Oh Elvira ! Elvira P and he hid 
his face in his hands, whilst the big tears trick- 
led through his fingers, and Lord Edmund, the 
stem, courageous soldier, the philosopher, the 
hero, and the statesman, wept, actually wept, 
like a feeble child. 

*^ Oh Edmund T' exclaimed Rosabella, ap- 
proaching him, and taking his hand — ^* I can- 

i5 



1T8 TRK MVMMT. 

not bear to 'see you in distress. Would to Hea- 
ven that by the sacrifioe even of my life I could 
relieve you !^ 

*' Rosabella, you will drive me to distrac- 
tion.'* 

^* Not for worlds, Edmund ; on the contrary, 
were I mistress of worlds, I would cast them at 
your feet.'' 

'* I know it-— I know it ; but spare me 
now." 

'^ Spare you, Edmund ! Spare what ? spare 
my reproaches, mean you ? Alas ! you need not 
fear them. Am I not devoted to you ? Is it 
not for your sake that I have thus passed the 
boundaries of my sex ? Are you disgusted with 
my boldness ? But no : you will surely forgive 
me, for my only motive has been to save you, 
^nd my only hope of happiness is bound up in 
yours.'* 

** Rosabella !** repeated Edmund, ^' I believe 
that you love me.^* 

'^ Love you ! Oh heavens ! can you doubt 
my love ?** 

^^ I do not doubt it, and this last action 



tfiit AiUMMr. 1*29 

pn>yes it more thw words* I have long done 
you injustice; can jou forgive me, Rosa- 
bella ^ 

'^ Oh Edmund T exclaimed the princess, 
whilst her full heart heaved almost to burst- 
ing and the tears streamed down her face. 

'^ I have been the victim of in&tuation,^ 
continued Edmund ; *^ I have loved a false, 
ungrateful woman^ who has betrayed me. But 
I see my folly ; and if tears of penitence shed 
at your feet can earn my pardon-^if you will 
accept a broken, bleeding heart-p-*^ 

^* Oh Edmund !^ interrupted Rosabella, 
throwing herself into his arms. « «,y no 
more — I am yours— yours for ever^— your de- 
voted sUtve**-'' 

^^ Not my slave, Rosabella,^ said Edmund, 
gently disengaging her from him, «>d placing 
her upon a chair, ^^ but my wife, my beloved 
wife." 

'' Your wife V exclaimed Rosabella, '^ Ed- 
mund's wife! am I indeed so blest? Oh no! 
surely it is a dream, a fond delusive dream! 
You cwnot surely be serious.^ 






180 TAX MUHMT. 

'^ Is this a moment for jesting?^' asked Ed- 
mund calmly. 

^' It certainly is not,^ said Father Morris, 
whose agitation had been nearly equal to their 
.own, and who had stood gazing upon them 
with looks of the fondest affection. '* We 
must immediately escape, or it will be too 
late ; it wants but two hours of daybreak, 
and, with the dawn. Lord Edmund's trial 
will commence.^ 

** True, true I" cried Rosabella, ** I had 
forgotten. Dearest Edmund, you must con- 
descend to fly, or your precious life will be 
sacrificed.*^ 

^^ But how shall I escape ?" 

^^ Through this panel. A balloon waits at a 
little distance, and this cloak will conceal your 
person from observation.^ 

« Dear Rosabella !" 

*^ Come, come," cried Father Morris, " we 
have no time to lose. Though Ferdinand was 
acquitted you must fall, for the state requires 
a victim." 

Lord Edmund waited for no more ; the name 



THE MUMMT. 181 

of Ferdinand was torture to him ; and, hastily 
disencumbering himself of his chains, he fol- 
lowed the father and Rosabella from the prison. 
He sighed, however, and looked back for a 
moment with regret ere he quitted the outec 
walls, for he thought of Elvira. Rosabella^s 
quick ear caught the sigh and her subtle spirit 
divined its meaning; but this was not a moment 
to complain, and stepping into their balloon 
they were soon out of sight of London. They 
proceeded to a palace of Rosabella'*s a few miles 
out of town, and there, the following day, 
Edmund became her husband. 

In the mean time, the excessive agitation El- 
vira experienced on the day of Prince Ferdinand'^s 
trial brought on a return of her fever, and it 
was several weeks ere she was sufficiently re- 
covered to leave her bed. When she did so, 
however, she was really shocked at the state in 
which she found her kingdom. When she first 
began to reign, carried away by the enthusiasm 
of the moment, she had taken too much of the 
executive part of the government upon herself; 
and as her illness had been too sudden to allow 



182 THK MUNUT. 

her to appoint a regency, no one knew who 
ought to supply her place. All therefore W93 
confusion and disorder, and Elvira shrunk dis- 
gusted from the chaos before her. She had now 
jpo Edmund to smooth the way {or her^ and the 
native energy of her mind was gone. Pale, 
heart-broken, and dispirited, she felt languid 
and inoapable of the slightest exertion. What 
had formerly been a pleasure, was now beoome 
an overwhelming burthen, and the weight of 
life seemed insupportable. 

She was now weary also of the fatigue ne- 
cessary to carry on the plans she had projected 
for the benefit of her people. At first, when all 
seemed new and delightful, she had devoted 
herself entirely to their interests : she had de- 
nied herself even the most trifling pleasures, 
and scarcely allowed herself the time absolutely 
necessary for food and rest. This was all very 
well, whilst her plans had the charm of novelty, 
and were supported by passion. But now that 
novelty had worn ofi^, and they had assumed the 
dull wearisome appearance of duties — when re- 
peated disappointments had extinguished almost 



THE MVMMY. 183 

the hope of success, and when she found her 
people expected, nay, demanded as a right, that 
which she had originally granted them only as 
an especial mark of favour, she discovered, 
though too late, the folly of the toil she ha4 
imposed upon herself. 

She now also discovered that improvement to 
be effectual must be slow: that people don't like 
to be forced out of old habits, till they have seen 
the effect of new ones proved by experience, 
and that nothing is so difficult as to improve 
people against their wills. Increase the re- 
sources of a country, throw money into the 
hands of the middling and lower classes, and 
they will improve themselves; but, at least, 
nine-tenths of a population will never suffer 
themselves to be improved. Those only who 
have attempted this thankless and painful of- 
fice can fully estimate the sufferings of the un- 
fortunate Elvira, who, disappointed in all she 
undertook, found life become tasteless and ia- 
sipid, and was completely wretched, — though 
surrounded by all the gifts of beauty, power, 
and fortune. 



184 THE MUMMY. 

Every thing seemed to conspire to increase 
her misery. Those whom she raised from indi- 
gence to affluence treated her with the most 
provoking insolence and discontent. A plan 
which had been opposed by the lords Gusta- 
vus de Montfort and Mays worth, and which 
she had persisted in having tried, had com- 
pletely failed, and the noble Lords had tri- 
umphed in the most provoking manner in her 
disappointment. In short, every thing went 
wrong; and Elvira, disgusted with the world, 
felt mortified and disgusted with herself. 

" How hard it is,^ thought she, frequent- 
ly, as she tossed upon her sleepless couch, 
*' that I, who, since my accession to the throne, 
have devoted myself entirely to the interests of 
my subjects, should be thus wretched; whilst 
tyrants, who live but to oppress, sleep quietly 
upon their beds of down. Alas ! why cannot 
I be as they are ? Why cannot I divest my- 
self of reflection, and enjoy the pleasures which 
surround me ? But what pleasures can I enjoy ? 
alas ! the world presents nothing that can in- 
terest me ; an insipid vacuum spreads through 



THE MUMMY. 18ff 

all creation ; my heart is cold and desolate ; my 
affections are thrown back upon myself, and I 
am miserable/' 

Thus raved Elvira, and, absorbed in painful 
meditations, she neglected the duties of her 
station, and resigned herself to despair, whilst 
the people, attributing her evident wretched- 
ness to her grief for the absence of Prince Fer- 
dinand, who had left London immediately after 
his trial, and had not since been heard of, be- 
came every hour more and more discontented 
with their Queen. 

In the mean time, the marriage of Lord £d* 
mund, though not openly avowed, was gene- 
rally suspected; and the party of Rosabella 
gained strength every day, whilst mysterious 
rumours were whispered from mouth to mouth, 
and divers hints given that many knew more 
than they chose to say ; though from the im- 
mense number of these mystery-mongers it 
seemed, as in the celebrated scene in the Barber 
of Seville, that every one was in the secret, 
which nobody was to divulge. The listless- 
ness of Elvira soon produced the most serious 



196 THB MUMMY. 

effects. A kingdom without a go'^erament, or 
rather a goTemment without a chief, cannot 
long go on welL It is like a ship at sea with- 
out a pilot, and it must founder upon the first 
A)ck which impedes its course. 

When the vigour of government is from any 
cause relaxed, there are always plentj of per- 
sons ready to take advantage of the opportunity 
afforded them, to commit evil with impunity; 
and crimes of every description multiplied so 
fast under the negligent sway of Elvira, that 
the people became clamorous in their com* 
plaints. But to whom could they address 
themselves? The Queen was rarely visible- 
Lord Edmund was gone, and the lords of the 
council were too busy talking about the inte* 
rests of the people to think of realltf attending 
to them ; whilst the duke and Sir Ambrose 
seemed too old to be likely to trouble them* 
selves by intermeddling with an affair of state. 
To them, however, the people looked as a 
dernier resort ; and as it seemed indelicate to 
apply to the duke when the person they comr 
plained of was his own daughter, they en* 



THB MUMMY. 187 

trettUd Sir Ambrose to present a petition to the 
Queen in their behalf. 

The worthy baronet acceded to their request, 
and though almost bent to the earth by age 
and misery, prepaid once more to appear at 
court. The loss of his beloved Edmund had 
affected the old man deeply : he considered his 
flight before trial as a confession of guilt, and 
the thought of disgrace weighed down his grey 
hairs with sorrow to the grave. The distress 
of the people, however, roused him from the 
apathy into which he was fast falling ; and when 
he waited upon the Queen, it was with all the 
energy of his former years. 

The Queen received him sullenly. '^ I can- 
not help it Sir Ambrose,^' said she ; ^' I am 
sorry for my people^ but I cannot do any thing 
to relieve them. I fe^l that I am fast sinking 
into the tomb; do not then disturb my last 
moments by fruitless scJicitations.^' 

** Last moments r cried Sir Ambrose, in- 
dignantly ; '^ rally your energies, and you may 
live half a century. You give way to the mor- 
bid sensibility which oppresses you; and. be- 



188 THE MUMMT. 

cause some of your hopes have been disappoint- 
ed« you shrink from the duties you have im- 
posed upon yourselfi and talk of your last mo- 
ments. Shame ! shame ! Elvira ! rouse yourself 
from this lethargy, and be indeed a Queen. 
Remember, that though Nature has ordinarily 
denied your sex the power of triumphing in 
the field, she has yet left a far greater conquest 
for you to achieve— the conquest of yourselves ; 
for it is far more glorious to subdue the way- 
ward desires of the human heart, than to lead 
a score of monarchs captives in your chains. 
Struggle then with your feelings : conquer those 
fatal passions which threaten to destroy you ; 
show yourself worthy of your crown, and be 
again the Elvira for whom, even in her child- 
hood, I anticipated greatness.^ 

^^ It is too late,^ interrrupted the Queen im- 
patiently — " it is now too late. Urge me no 
more. Sir Ambrose, or you will drive me to 
despair.^ 

Sir Ambrose was provoked with her obsti* 
nacy, and a pause ensued, which was broken by 
a tumultuous noise and shouting. It was the 



THE MUMMY. 189 

people at the gates of the palace^ who, impatient 
at the length of Sir Ambrose^s stay, were now 
becoming clamorous for an answer. 

'^ What shall I say to them V* asked the 
baronet. 

" Tell them I deny their suit !" replied the 
Queen. ** Away, away, away ! I would be 
quiet ; go without reply ; I will hear no more ; 
I will not be tormented :^ and waving her hand 
for him to depart, she hurried to her chamber. 
Finding there was no alternative, Sir Ambrose 
was compelled to appear before the people, and 
acquaint them with the will of their Sovereign. 
The tumult became more violent as he spoke. 
An English mob is proverbially impetuous ;and 
now their rage rose beyond controL '^ The 
Queen ! the Queen !" they shouted ; '^ we will 
see the Queen!" The crowd increased every 
moment — ^the multitude heaved in tremendous 
waves like the rolling billows of the sea, and 
the hum of thousands of human voices filled the 
dr. They threatened to storm the palace. A 
nan in complete armour, his face entirely con- 
sealed by his vizor, headed their attempts ; the 



190 THC MiniMY. 

outer gates were forced, and the throng rushed 
tumultuously into the court of the palace. 

All there was confusion : soldiers might have 
been summoned, and the place defended ; but 
there was no one to give orders ; and the ser- 
vants ran to and fro in the greatest possible dis- 
tress, without knowing either where they were 
going, or what they intended doing. In the 
midst of this bustle, Elvira sate burying her 
face in her hands, and obstinately refudng to 
take the slighest interest in the scene. The 
door opened violently, and Sir Ambrose and 
some of her principal servants rushed in. ^^ For 
God's sake, save yourself l^ cried they. " If 
your Majesty were safe, we care not for our- 
selves." 

" Fly !" ciied Sir Ambrose, throwing him- 
self upon his knees before her, his white hair 
streaming almost to the ground ; ^* for Grod's 
uike, fly !^' It was too late, however, then, 
had the Queen been disposed to obey him ; for, 
as he spoke, the outer door burst open with 
tremendous violence; the palace seemed to 
^ake to its foundation with the shock; and 



THE MUMMY. 191 

iD an instant the chamber was filled by the in« 
furiated populace. 

" Seize the Queen, but do not injure her!" 
cried a voice that thrilled through every nerve 
of Sir Ambrose. ^^ Spare the old man ; do not 
hurt a hair of his head.*^ Sir Ambrose looked 
up ; the voice came from the man in armour ; 
but it was the voice of Edmund. A crowd of 
overwhelming thoughts rushed through his 
mind, and, overpowered by their weight, he 
sank senseless upon the ground. *^ Take him 
away !^ cried Edmund ; (for it was indeed he ;) 
'^ take him away ! but see that ye hurt him 
not : he dies that injures him.^ 

^' Edmund !'^ cried Elvira, struck also by his 
voice — 

•* To prison with her !" exclaimed he. 
'^ To prison, Edmund ! do you doom your 
Queen to prison ? Is it thus you treat your 
Sovereign V* 
^' I own no Sovereign here but Rosabella.^' 
'^ But by what right can she be called your 
Sovereign ?"" 

^^ By that which made you Queen -*the 



19S THE MUMMT. 

voice of the people. It lies with them to crown 
or to dethrone !", 

" Oh Edmund ! mercy r 
'* Away with her ! I '11 hear no more/' 
The guards seized upon the unfortunate 
Elvira, and, in spite of her entreaties, hurried 
her away. Edmund did not trust himself to 
look at her. For a moment he hid his face in 
his hands ; then rousing himself, he exclaimed, 
"Now to proclaim the Queen!" The people 
followed him with shouts of applause, and 
before evening Edmund and Rosabella were 
unanimously acknowledged as King and Queen 
of England. 



TUB MUMMY. 193 



CHAPTER VI. 



Notwithstanding the able manner in which 
the revolution had been effected, England was 
still in a state of tumult. Though the army 
had been seduced by the example of Edmund, 
and the people had been obliged to submit, they 
were by no means perfectly satisfied with their 
new government ; and Rosabella found, too 
late, that though the throne might be compared 
to a bed of roses, it was not without its thorns. 
The discontented nobles who had aided her 
cause were also extremely displeased by what 
they called the trifling value of the rewards 
bestowed upon them; though, in fact, they 
rated their services so high, that Rosabella 
found her whole kingdom did not possess the 

VOL. III. K 



^H 



194f THE MUMMY. 

power of repaying them to their satisfaction. 
It was also a considerable grievance of these 
haughty nobles to see Prince Ferdinand re- 
turn to the English Court immediately after the 
dethronement of Elvira, and be received with 
open arms by Rosabella, who, with the anxiety 
to conciliate the friendship of foreign powers, 
usually displayed by those whose thrones feel 
far from secure at home, loaded him with fa- 
vours, and even gav^ him a post of honour in 
the command of her own body-guard. 

Whilst the unreasonableness of her people 
thus embittered Rosabella's political life, her 
domestic happiness seemed to rest upon a yet 
more unstable foundation. She knew that 
though she possessed Edmund's hand, his heart 
was still devoted to Elvira ; and jealousy made 
her view all his actions in a distorted light. If 
he were sad, she was sure he was thinking of 
her rival ; and if gay, she fancied it a masque 
put on only to deceive her. She was thus com* 
pletely miserable, and Edmund was as wretched 
as herself. He felt that he had sacrificed him- 
self to revenge, and sold his peace for a bauUe, 



THE MDMMT. 195 

which, when obtained^ did not seem worth the 
trouble of possessing. His father too — Sir 
Ambrose, his doating father, was now entirely 
estranged from him, as he repeatedly declared 
he would never forgive a traitor, who could 
forget his oath of allegiance for his own ag- 
grandizement. 

" No I" exclaimed the old man, " I loved, I 
doted upon Edmund ; but the Edmund I loved 
is vanished. My darling son was brave and 
noble, not a deceptive scoundrel. No, no, my 
old heart may break — ^nay, I hope it will — ^but 
never whilst I live shall a deceitful traitor be 
pressed against this breast." 

Edmund was inconsolable; he passionately 
loved his father, and could not bear his anger : 
besides^ he felt that the reproaches of the old 
man were seconded by those of his own heart. 
It is painful at any time to bear the censures 
of the world, but they fall with double weight 
when we know we have deserved them. Ed- 
mund was dissatisfied with himself, and, con- 
sequently, disposed to quarrel with the world. 
He fancied it looked coldly upon him, and, in 

K 2 



190 THE MUMMY. 

return, he affected to despise it. A hundred 
times a day he repeated that he was perfectly 
indifferent to every thing that was said of him ; 
whilst his nervous anxiety to peruse the news* 
papers, and make himself perfectly acquainted 
with every popular rumour, proved that he was 
only too sensible to every word that was utter- 
ed. Edmund had made the mob his idol, he 
could not live without its applauses, and 
wretched indeed are those who thus depend 
on others for their hopes of happiness. 

Edmund'*s disgust at his new rank and situa- 
tion was soon still farther increased by a visit 
from Lord Gustavus, who, with several other 
lords, was deputed to present to his Majesty 
the complaints of the Commons. They wanted 
to be enfranchised, they desired innumerable 
rights and privileges, and in fact they wanted 
to be all kings ; for if half that they demanded 
had been granted, Edmund must have made 
them more powerful than himself. He pointed 
this out to Lord Gustavus, and condescended 
to reason with him upon the folly of their 
desires. 



THK MUMMY. 197 



u 



Impossible !" cried Lord Gustavus. " Your 
Majesty must excuse me but I cannot listen to 
such arguments; I came here to defend the 
liberties of the people. Reform is necessary — 
without reform, nothing can go on well. Evils 
must be torn up root and branch."" 

*' Are not my subjects healthy, wealthy, and 
prosperous 7*^ asked Edmund. *' Have they 
not been successful at home and abroad ? Do 
not the English peiEisants live as well as most 
foreign princes, and what more can they re- 
quire ?'* 

^'Liberty, Sire," returned Lord Gustavus. 
" What are all these pretended advantages 
without liberty ? mere toys ; gaudy apples, but 
rotten at the core. Of what use, indeed, are 
all the blessings of life, without liberty to give 
them zest, and radical reform to purge them of 
all impurities ^"^ 

" But listen to reason." 

^^ Reason ! Thinking as I think, and as I 
am sure every rational being must think, or at 
least ought to think, your Majesty must for- 
give me if I assert, that even Reason her- 



198 THE MUMMY. 

* 

self does not deserve to be attended to, when 
she is basely enlisted upon the side of Ty- 
ranny.*" 

*^ Nay^ then,*^ said Edmund, *' it is useless to 
attempt to argue with you. I thought you had 
made Reason your goddess ; but if you worship 
her only as long as it suits your own purposes, I 
have done. You may retire. I shall take the 
petition into consideration, and give it an an- 
swer when I may think fit.^^ 

Edmund, who, from being degraded and de* 
based in his own opinion, no longer possessed 
that confidence in himself which had formerly 
carried conviction with all he said, had yet 
suiBcient dignity in his manner to awe those to 
silence who dared to dispute his commands; 
and Lord Gustavus and his colleagues, not 
presuming to make farther remonstrance, re- 
tired in dudgeon. This incident contributed to 
sicken Edmund of reigning: he became dis- 
gusted with his Queen, his court, his kingdom, 
and his country, and secluding himself as much 
as possible from public life, left the care of 
managing the affairs of state to Rosabella and 



THE KUMMY. 199 

Father Morris, who now throwing off the dis- 
guise he so long had worn, appeared openly as 
the dispenser of her favours, and the arbiter of 
her actions. 

The spirit of poor Sir Ambrose was quite 
broken by these misfortunes. The defection of 
his son, and the ingratitude of his friend^s con- 
fessor stung him to the core. He retired again 
to the country, where with his friend the duke, 
Clara, and Father Murphy « he contrived to exist, 
though but the shadow of his former self. The 
duke was also grievously changed, and it was 
melancholy to see these two poor old men wan- 
dering about their splendid gardens and mag- 
nificent palaces like, roaming ghosts, permitted 
to revisit for a time the scenes of their de- 
parted happiness. Clara now became the sole 
stay that bound these old men to life. Her 
character had developed itself wonderfully in 
the midst of the striking events she had wit- 
nessed. Firm, courageous, and enterprising, 
though still gentle — the lively girl seemed 
changed into the intelligent woman, whose ac- 
tive mind and comprehensive spirit foresaw 



SOO THV HUMMT. 

every thing and provided against every emer- 
gency, Clara was still young; but her sfnrit 
was mature beyond her years^ and her at- 
tention to the Duke and Sir Ambrose was un- 
remitting. 

•* Well r would they often say, *' though 
we have lost much, we ought still to be thank- 
ful that Clara is spared to us :^ and then with 
tears trickling down their aged cheeks, they 
would join in imploring Heaven to shower down 
blessings upon her head. In the mean time, 
Clara herself was far from happy. She would, 
it is true, exert herself to appear cheerful, but 
it was evident it was an exertion | and often^ 
when the Duke and Sir Ambrose had seated 
themselves to a party at chess, she would steal 
out unobserved, and retire to a little pavilion in 
the duke's garden, near what were formerly the 
apartments of Father Morris, as being the most 
seduded spot she could find ; this part of the 
mansion having been carefully shut up and 
avoided by every human being, since the de- 
parture of the priest, as infectious ; the indigna- 
tion that the worthy and attached servants of his 



THB MUMMY. 801 

Grace, felt towards Father Morris for his de- 
sertion of their master, being extended even to 
the rooms he had occupied. 

In this secluded spot Clara often sate for 
hours, lost in meditation, her head resting upon 
her hand, and her eyes fixed on vacancy. Winter 
had now given place to spring, and all nature 
seemed to revive with that gay and joyous 
season, but the heart of Clara was still lonely ; 
she fancied it could enjoy no second summer; 
and she felt almost disposed to quarrel with all 
around her for displaying a gaiety in which she 
could not participate. Nothing makes a broken 
heart feel more gloomy than to see all other ob- 
jects look gay. It turns from them in disgust, 
and feels its own misery doubled by the sight of 
their happiness. 

One evening as Clara was sitting absorbed in 
melancholy reflections, she was startled by hear- 
ing a deep-drawn sigh heaved heavily behind 
her. She turned, and fancied she could distin- 
guish a figure in the midst of the twilight ; — 
but, magnified by the obscurity, the figure 
•eemed of gigantic proportions. Uttering a 



20S THE MUMMY. 

faint scream, she attempted to fly — ^when a 
hand of iron grasped her arm, and arrested her 
progress. An icy chill shot to her heart, whilst 
the well-remembered voice of Cheops sounded 
in her ears. 

^' Clara,^ said he, in his deep sepulchral tone, 
** would you save your Queen t^ 

*^ With the sacrifice of my life, if necessary,'' 
replied Clara firmly. 

" Clara,^ continued the Mummy, " I have 
marked you attentively, — and as I do not know 
any individual possessing more strength of mind 
and personal courage than yourself, I have fixed 
upon you to be my attendant in this enterprise. 
The life of Elvira is in danger ; and even my 
influence cannot much longer save her, if she 
remain in the power of Father Morris. Besides, 
the lesson she has already had has been suffici- 
ently severe. I will aid her to escape, and you 
must assist me. You shall go to Ireland ; and 
there, if the warlike Roderick be not deaf to 
the cry of beauty in distress, through his aid 
Elvira may hope redress, — ^at least, she must 
implore his help. — Rosabella is now at a palace 



k 



.THE MUHMY. 203 

near this, and she has brought her rival in her 
train ; for^ with the usual jealousy and suspicion 
of tyrants and usurpers, she scarcely diLres to 
trust her /from her sight. Besides this, her dia- 
bolical revenge is gratified m making Elvira 
wait humbly near her throne, and serve in those 
palaces where she once commanded. Moved 
by this ungenerous conduct, and the patience 
with which the unhappy Elvira bears her suf- 
ferings, the nobles and people of the realm 
begin to pity her : and when they are disgusted 
with the haughtiness and intolerance of Rosa- 
bella, they sigh for the return of the gentle 
Elvira. Father Morris perceives this, and 
determining to rid Rosabella of her rival, the 
fair Elvira fades beneath his arts, like a flower 
withering on its stem."^ 

^' She must be saved !" said Clara, with 
enthusiasm ; '^ she shall be saved ! — Point but 
out the means, and I am devoted to her ser- 



* f> 
vice. 



<^ You must assume these weeds, and follow 
me," said Cheops^ pointing to a bundle in a 
corner of the pavilion, which Clara had not 



804 THK ICUHMY. 

before noticed. *^ In half an hour I will re- 
turn for you." 

'^ And , my sudden disappearance," rejoined 
Clara, ^' will it not excite suspicion ?" 

^^ The river which runs through the grounds 
is deep and rapid/' returned Cheops ; ^^ some of 
your clothes left upon its banks — '^ 

" I comprehend," cried Clara eagerly ; ^* but 
the poor old duke, and Sir Ambrose ? — ^ 

'< Their anxiety and distress may be great, 
but cannot be lasting : the feelings of age are 
blunt, and — " 

" Oh, no !" exclaimed Clara, " you are de- 
ceived ; for age feels grief more acutely than 
youth. The mind has lost its elasticity— hope 
is dead within it, and the old brood over their 
secret sorrows till they pine gradually away." 

^' By Osiris ! thou art a most extraordinary 
girl,'' said Cheops; "the old do brood over 
grief, but why say this to me ? Do I not know 
it well — too well ?" continued he, looking at her 
earnestly. Clara turned pale, and trembled, for 
the hideous countenance of the Mummy, whev 
distorted by human passions, was almost too 



THE MUMMY. SOS 

much for mortals to behold and live. Cheops 
saw her agitation ; and, hastily averting his 
eyes, continued in a calmer tone, — ** Whatever 
the suffelrings of the old men may be for the 
moment, I suppose even you will allow the life 
of Elvira more than counterbalances them; — 
and, by inflicting this temporary pain, you will 
save them from the more lasting agony they 
would endure from her death: for Father 
Morris is so subtle, that it would be dangerous 
to give them the slightest hint of our intention, 
lest he should worm it from them. Be ready, 
then, Clara ; resign thyself to my instructions, 
and, above all, fear not." 

Clara bent her head in token of assent, and 
Cheops disappeared. Upon examining the 
clothes, Clara found them to be the dress of a 
Greek peasant boy, numbers of whom at this 
period were rambling over England singing 
wild romances to their harps or lutes, and 
telling fortunes in a kind of doggrel rhyme. 
Exposure to the air tanned most of these wan- 
dering minstrels brown, and Clara found a 
l^ottle of liquid in the parcel to stain her fac^ 



206 THE MUMMY. 

and hands. She bound up her flaxen ringlets, 
and, covering her head with curls of a jetty 
blackness, she found the metamorphosis so cook- 
plete that she scarcely knew herself as she saw 
her figure reflected in a large mirror behind 
her. It was now nearly dark, but Cheops had 
left the necessary implements for striking a 
light, and Clara made her toilette without the 
least difliculty. 

Anxious were the moments, however, which 
passed after her task was completed, till the 
arrival of Cheops ; and when he did come, she 
saw he was attired as herself. He grasped 
her arm, and without speaking led her to the 
banks of the river. Clara shuddered when she 
found herself alone in the power of this mys- 
terious being, and saw the river roll deep and 
dark beneath her feet. Cheops felt her shud- 
der, and cried with one of his horrid laughs, 
which sounded featfully amidst the stillness 
of the night, " What ! do even yau fear me ? 
Is there no courage in this degenerate race? 
None ? What do you fear ? If you dread to 
trust yourself in my power, or think yourself 



THE MUMMY. 207 

unequal, to the task you have undertaken, 
retire: there is yet time, and I wish no un- 
willing agents. Poor child T continued he, 
looking at her with feeling ; " thou dost not 
know me, but for worlds I would not harm 
thee r 

*^ i will go with you,^ said Clara resolutely ; 
** I do not shrink. Let what will await me, I 
will not recede: though unheard-of torments 
may attend me, I will endure them*** 

" By the Holy Gods of my forefathers," 
cried Cheops, ** she is a brave girl ! Yes, 
Clara, I will trust thee ; and though we should 
encounter horrors fearful as those which menace 
the initiati in the dread Isian mysteries, I will 
not doubt thy courage. A determined spirit, 
Clara, may subdue even Fate." 

As he spoke, he threw the clothes she had 
brought for the purpose carelessly upon the 
banks of the river; and then again seizing her 
arm, he dragged her forward with such ra- 
pidity, that in an incredibly short time they 
approached the palace of Rosabella. The mat- 
uon looked the region of enchantment. Bril- 



806 THE HI7MICY. 

liantly illuminated, light streamed from every 
window; and through the colonnade of the 
great hall, groups of elegantly dressed people 
were seen moving gaily to and fro, some 
dancing, and others listening to harmonious 
music. 

Clara, though terrified and exhausted, felt 
still irresistibly impelled to proceed, and, still 
guided by her strange companion, entered, un- 
observed, the outer court of the palace. 

^^ Prince Ferdinand of Grermany commands 
the guard to-night,'^ whispered Cheops, in a 
low, unnatural voice ; ^^ it is well, he shall go 
with us." 

But will he ?" asked Clara tremblingly. 
WiU he?" returned Cheops, with his pe- 
culiar sneer : ^^ dost thou doubt my power, 
girir 

Clara and Cheops had now reached a place 
from whence, unobserved, they could survey the 
whole of the splendid apartment before them. 

They had, in fact, entered the hall, and 
placed themselves in a kind of recess shaded 
by projecting pillars, from whence they could 



(( 
<( 



THE MUMMY. 209 

see every part of the saloon. Clara was asto- 
nished to find herself so easily in the presence 
of the Queen, for she knew not how they had 
attained their present situation ; and she would 
have spoken to ask Cheops, but he laid his 
finger upon his lips: and whispering— "Hip- 
pocrates was the only son of Isis and Osiris !^ 
— ^she comprehended he meant that Wisdom 
and Knowledge produced Silence, and she did 
not dare to breathe a syllable. 

Rosabella sate upon a splendid dais, gor- 
geously attired; her black eyes flashing with 
added brilliancy from the deep rouge upon 
her cheeks ; whilst her raven hair was adorned 
with diamonds, and a splendid tiara of the 
same precious stones sparkled on her fore- 
head ; a robe of crimson velvet, bordered with 
ermine, fell in graceful folds over her fine 
figure; whilst her swanlike neck and snowy 
arms, exposed perhaps more than delicacy 
might strictly warrant, were also loaded with 
costly jewels. Around her, stood the ladies of 
her court, and amongst the rest, Elvii-a, plainly 
attired in a robe of dark grey silk. No orna- 



/ • 



Vt» 



*10 THE MUMMY. 

mentB shone amongst her golden tresses, and 
her naturally fair complexion seemed faded to 
a sickly and unnatural whiteness. 

The indignation of Clara could scarcely be 
restrained at this sight ; but Cheops, laying his 
hand upon her arm, they stood suddenly before 
the Queen. 

** Ah f who are these ?^ cried Rosabella, start- 
ing. Cheops took no notice of her surprise; 
but tuning his lute, began to sing a few dog- 
grel verses in praise of her Majesty. 

Clara**s astonishment and awe now surpassed 
description ; her sense of personal identity be- 
came confused ; she could scarcely fancy that 
it was really the hideous Mummy who was 
her companion : her senses swam, her head 
became giddy, and she could scarcely keep 
herself from fainting. 

^' What means this mummery ?^ asked Ro- 
sabella ; ^' how came these minstrels here ?^ 

" It is doubtless a device of the King,'' 
returned some of her ladies, " to amuse your 
majesty.*" 

Rosabella smiled; attentions were now so 



i 



« 



THE MUMMY. 211 

rare upon the part of Edmund towards her, 
that ^e felt gratified it should be even sup^. 
posed he wished to please her, and address* 
ing the minstrel more graciously, asked what 
brought him to England. He sung his reply : 
and in the same doggrel rhyme asked the 
Queen to let him tell her fortune. 

'^ What say you, ladies," said Ilosabella, 
again smiling, ** shall we hear our destiny ?^ 

The ladies, delighted with any thing that 
promised an interruption to the general gloom 
which hung over Rosabella's court, gladly as- 
sented; and, to Clara's infinite surprise, the 
Mummy addressed a few doggrel verses to each, 
whilst the voice in which he repeated this non- 
sense, was so different from his usual deep se- 
pulchral tones, that Clara'^s wonder became 
mixed with fear, and she shuddered with horror 
as the conviction, that the being with whom she 
had associated herself was indeed a demon, 
flashed across her mind. 

When Elvira's turn came, Clara perceived 
her colour was heightened, and that she trem- 
bled excessively, yet the Mummy^s verses to her 



ilft THE HUHMY. 

were as unmeaning as to the rest. Whilst this 
scene was passing, the King and Father Morris 
approached. The former stood silent and ab- 
stracted, apparently quite unconscious of the 
group before him ; whilst Father Morris gazed 
at them intently, with a satirical sneer upon his 
countenance, as though in thorough contempt 
for such folly. 

" How can you endure such mummery T^ 
said he to Rosabella, after a short pause. 

^^. Any thing for a change,^ said she, sighing. 
The father's dark eye glanced upon the King, 
and then upon Rosabella, as with a gloomy 
frown he stalked on. The Queen coloured, 
and hastily waving her hand to the minstrel, 
as a sign that he might depart, she turned 
away, and the disappointed ladies were reluc- 
tantly obliged to follow in her train. In a 
few minutes, a page returned with a chain 
and a purse of gold, which he gave the min- 
strels, and retired. Clara was upon the point 
of refusing her share of this bounty, but a 
look from the Mummy made her sensible of 
her error, and she took it without uttering a 



THE MUMMY. 218 

syllable. Her hesitation, however, did not pass 
unnoticed, and she found, to her infinite horror, 
when they quitted the palace, that two of the 
Queen's servants had followed them. Clara 
trembled excessively, and clung tightly to the 
Mummy^s arm for protection ; but that myste- 
rious being still stalked on with the same indif- 
ference as before. Clara longed to give him 
tome intimation of the danger which awaited 
him, but she could not speak ; the words seem- 
ed to swell in her throat and almost choke her, 
whilst she found herself dragged along by an 
irresistible influence, too powerful to admit of 
her even struggling against it. Inexpressible 
agony seized her as she found herself hur^ 
ried on towards the river; and when, as 
they reached the brink, she beheld Cheops 
stamp with supernatural force upon ^ the fra- 
gile bridge which stretched across the water, 
and saw the slender plank sink beneath his 
weight, she could bear no more, but, screaming 
with horror, rushed forward to save him. A 
strong arm, however, pulled her back ; she felt 
herself whirled round, and for the moment her 



214 THK MUMMT' 

senses seemed to desert her. The next instant 
she found she had been dragged under some 
bushes, and saw their pursuers rush down to 
the place where the broken bridge bad been. 

^^ They are gone, by Jupiter T said one ; 
*' I heard them fall into the water. It was 
a tremendous crash." 

" I heard them too," returned the other ; 
^^ they fell as heavy as lead ; and how they 
screamed !" 

^' The young one screamed,^ said the first ; 
" but the old one groaned.^ 

^' What does it matter,^ resumed the second, 
"whether they screamed or groaned? They 
are gone to the devil a little before their time, 
and so we have only to go back as we came. 
Between ourselves, it was nonsense to take the 
trouble to watch them. They were evidently 
only what they seemed to be ; and even Father 
Morris, suspicious as he is, gave us no orders 
about them." 

" Thy dull head cannot see,'' said the first. 
** The father's negligence was the very motive 
"tof my vigilance. Things are not with him 



THE MUMMV. S15 

as they have been — ^he wants to rule the Queen 
with a rod of iron, and Rosabella will not en- 
dure control. Now, it struck me when I 
saw the youth's hesitation, that all was not 
right, and, I thought, if I could discover what 
had escaped him — " 

*' I see/' said the other ; ^* his lifeless trunk 

might have had the honour of serving as a 
stepping-stone to enable you to rise/' 

'^ It was possible,^ returned the other, laugh- 
ing ; and they retired, their voices gradually 
dying away till they became inaudible in the 
distance. Clara now perceived that the Mummy 
stood beside her. He did not speak, but 
pressed his finger upon his lips in token 
of silence, and for some minutes they stood 
fixed to the spot: — till, as the last faint echo 
of the servants' footsteps died away, he again 
seized the arm of Clara, and hurried her away 
towards a gloomy cave. 

They stopped at the entrance; and though 
the poor girl was still too much terrified to 
speak, yet she felt somewhat relieved by the 
discovery that the Mummy had evidently saved 



216 THE MUMMY. 

her from danger, instead of, as she feared, pre- 
cipitating her into it. She still gazed with awe, 
however, at his strange unearthly figure, as he 
stood with his eyes fixed earnestly upon a star, 
apparently occupied in muttering prayers ad» 
dressed to it. 

'^ Clara T at length said he, his deep, full 
voice echoing solemnly through the vaulted 
cave; " Clara!" again he repeated, whilst the 
blood of his terrified companion seemed to curdle 
in her veins at the awful sound. She slowly 
and tremblingly advanced — he grasped her arm 
— she attempted to shrink back, but seemed 
fixed as though by magic ; — " Hear me,"" con- 
tinued the Mummy, in a low, hollow tone, 
which appeared to rise from the tomb, and 
contrasted fearfully with the lighter accents he 
had employed as a minstrel, — " Elvira under- 
stood my signal, and she will soon be here ; but 
you must do the rest. Prince Ferdinand keeps 
guard to-night. Pass through this cave; the 
outlet will bring you to his station. Throw 
yourself at his feet, and appeal to his com- 
passion in whatever language the feelings of the 



THE MUMMY. 217 

moment may inspire. He will readily listen to. 
you, for he has not forgotten your visit to him 
in prison, and will swear to devote himself to 
your service. Tell him you accept his offers, 
and entreat him to convey yourself and the 
Queen to Ireland — where Roderick will receive 
and protect you. He will immediately com* 
ply; and his being the companion of your 
flight, will induce the belief that you are gone 
to Germany, and will consequently prevent the 
least danger of pursuit.'' 

At this moment a slight figure, wrapped in a 
large mantle, appeared at the entrance of the 
cavern. " Elvira T cried Cheops, and the 
stranger sprang forward. " Then I am right,*' 
exclaimed she, whilst her whole frame trembled 
with agitation. 

" This is your guide,** said Cheops, in his 

deep sepulchral tone ; " follow her, and you 

will do well. Farewell ! we shall never meet 

.again." Then bending over her, he pressed 

his lips to her forehead, and to that of Clara. 

Both shuddered at the touch of those cold 
marble lips, and an icy chill ran through their 

VOL. III. L 



SIS THE MUMKY. 

rmoB, B» the fearful oonviction that their com- 
paoion was no earthly being thrilled in their 
bofloms. Even the strongest minds dread siq^r- 
natural horrors, and our fair fugitives turned 
involuntarily away. When they looked again, 
the Mummy was gone, and the darkness ap- 
peared so profound that they were obliged to 
grope their way cautiously along. Fearing 
alike to remain or to advance, they proceeded 
with trembling steps slowly along a narrow 
passage; their minds filled with that vague 
sense of danger which generally attaids the 
want of light, when imagination pictures ter* 
rors that do not really exist, and Fancy loids 
her aid to magnify those which do. 

By degrees, however, the Queen and her com- 
panion became accustomed to the darkness ; and 
as the pupils of their eyes dilated, they were 
enabled to discern the objects around them. 
Innumerable fantastic shapes now appeared te 
flit before theiti, and grim giants to frown 
awfully from every corner of the gloomy vault 
they were traversiiig. The dim and indistinct 
light threw a misty veil round the projectiiig 



THE MUMMY. S19 

comers of the rooks, which gave them a fearful 
and .unnatural grandeur ; whilst the fair friends^ 
overpowered with terror, gazed tin^idly around) 
and stood a few moments not daring to advance 
into the darker abysms of the caverns, and yet 
dreading alike to remain, where they were, or 
to return. 

**We must go on,'' said Elvira at length, 
her voice echmng through the cave» till she 
started at the sound. 

'* O God f cried Clara ; " hark ! a thousand 
mocking d^nons. seem to repeat from every 
rock ' Go on !' " 

** Go on 1" again rang in a thousand varied 
tones through the cavern. 

^' Let us proceed,^ whispered Elvira, shud<* 
deriag ; ^^ this is a fearful place !^ 

And they hurried on as fast as their trem- 
bling limbs could carry them, along a dark and 
gloomy passage, leading in the direction pointed 
out by the Mummy. In a few minutes, a 
bright though glimmering light appeared afar 
oflP, like a star, which, gleaming tlm)ugh the 
darkness, seemed a beacon of hope to guide 

l2 



220 THE MUMMY. 

them on to happiness. A slight current of air,^ 
too, now blew freshly in their faces, and their 
spirits rose, as with quickened steps they 
hastened onward in the direction from whence 
it appeared to proceed. 

The light now seemed rapidly to enlarge, 
and the wind blew more freshly, whilst the 
Queen and her companion distinctly heard the 
heavy stamping of horses, which vibrated fear- 
fully on the hollow ground, and grew louder 
and louder every moment as they advanced. 

'^ Ah ! what is that P^ cried Elvira trembling, 
clinging closer to her companion. 

'* It is the bivouac of Prince Ferdinand,"" 
replied Clara ; *^ the Mummy told me we should 
find him here, and that he would aid us.'^ 

'^ Ah, that fearful Mummy,^ murmured 
Elvira softly ; ^^ if he should deceive us, and 
this should be only a plan to betray us to our 
enemies ?^' 

*^ Fear not,'^ said Clara ; ^^ come what may, 
we must dare the worst.'^ 

They had now reached the outlet of the 
cavern, and found an opening large enough to 



THE MUMMY. S21 

admit of a single person. Cautiously advancing 
towards it, they paused for a few moments ere 
they descended, to gaze upon the scene below. 
A troop of soldiers were scattered round, in 
various attitudes of repose, under a small grove 
of trees, whilst their horses grazed at a little 
distance. The prince alone seemed awake, and 
he lay apart from his companions, stretched 
upon a grassy bank, a thick tree spreading 
above him, his head resting upon his hand, 
and his eyes fixed upon the ground. The ' 
moon shone brightly, and playe4 upon the 
prince's polished armour, like summer light* 
niug dancing on a lake. His helmet was 
thrown aside, and his countenance looked pale 
and sad, whilst his frequent sighs betrayed the 
uneasiness of his mind. 

" Let us advance,^ said Clara, ** and try to 
move him to compassion."" 

Elvira complied; and with light and timid 
steps, fearing almost to breathe, lest they should 
break the slumbers of their enemies, they ap- 
proached the prince. All was still, save the 
hard breathing of the sleeping soldiers, and 



SS2 THE MUMMT. 

the measured diamping of the horses; their 
ttatdy figures strongly relieved by the dark 
grey sky beyond, whilst their long manes and 
tails swept the ground. The prince was now 
Bstlessly tracing figures in the grass with the 
scabbard of his sword : he started as they ap- 
proached, and hastily demanded the cause of 
their intrusion. 

" Mercy !'* cried Elvira, sinking upon her 
knees before him ; '* mercy T She could say 
no more, but gasping for breath, she stretched 
out her arms imploringly, whilst every thing 
around seemed to swim before her eyes, and the 
figures of the prince, the trees, the horses, and 
the sleeping soldiers, appeared all dilated to 
gigantic magnitude. She entirely forgot the 
pathetic appeal she had intended making to the 
princess feelings, and every faculty seemed sus- 
pended in the intenseness of her anxiety. 

•* For Heaven's sake, ^ood youth," exclaimed 
the prince, addressing Clara, ^< explain the 
meaning of this scene ! Why does this lovely 
female kneel to me, and why does she implcnre 
my mercy f^ 

^^ Because she has no other hope, save in that 



THE MUMMY. 9StS 

and Heaven^'^ said Clara solemnly : ^^ It is the 
Queen.^ 

^^ Elvira !** cried the prince : then raising her 
eagerly, he continued — *^ Your Majesty may 
command my services, and I am most happy 
fate has given me an opportunity of showing 
my gratitude ; only tell me how I can asdst 
you." 

A few words from Clara explained the ur- 
gency of their situation ; and the prince, promi- 
sing to meet them with horses in an hour, per* 
auaded them Co return to the cavern till he 
should join them. Heavily rolled the minutes 
of this tedious hoinr, which seemed destined 
never to have an end, till the nerves of Elvim 
and Clara were wrought up to such a pitch Mjf 
sugonjf that death would have appeared a bless- 
ing. At length, the prince came, bringing with 
hiin only his faithful Hans. 

The sight of him was sufficient to rouse the 
almost fainting spirits of the Queen ; and, with* 
out speaking a single word, she and Clara 
jhuzvied after their conductors, to the wood 
where the horses were waiting for them. 

They mounted, still in perfect silence, and 



S24 THE MUMHir. 

hurried through the most intricate paths they 
could find ; for, as morning dawned, they feared 
inevitable destruction. Before it became quite 
light, however, they had reached a thick wood, 
near the centre of which, they found a half 
ruined hut ; and here did the ci-devant Queen 
of England and her suite try to obtain a few 
hours^ repose. But, alas ! sleep fled from Elvira's 
eyes ; she could not forget she was a fugitive in 
her own kingdom, flymg with terror from those 
very people who^ but a few months before, had 
almost worshipped her as a goddess ; and not 
even the exhaustion of her body could overcome 
the hurry of her spirits, whilst every time she 
closed her eyes, and felt a soft doze creeping 
over her troubled senses, she started up again 
in horror, fancying her pursuers had overtaken 
her. 

Consternation reigned in the palace when the 
flight of Elvira, and the defection of Prince Fer- 
dinand were made known there. " She is gone 
to Germany r was the universal cry, and troops 
were directly dispatched to all the sea-ports, 
whilst a whole fleet of balloons were ordered to 



THE MUMMY. 225 

$cour the air in all directions, and arrest every 
aerial vehicle they should meet with, whose pas- 
sengers could not give a perfectly satisfactory 
account of themselves. These commissidns were 
executed to the letter, as the guards now sought 
by extra diligence to excuse the negligence with 
which they had suffered the Queen to escape ; 
and numerous were the wandering lovers, ab- 
sconding clerks, and unfaithful wives, who were 
brought before the Council instead of Elvira 
and the .German Prince, of whom, however, 
nothing could be heard, their measures hav- 
ing been taken too well to expose them to 
detection. 

< In the mean time, Clara being missed, the 
duke and Sir Ambrose were inconsolable ; and 
dispatched emissaries every where in search of 
her. Amongst the- rest. Father Murphy and 
Abelard were sent to explore every corner of 
the grounds, and the disconsolate searchers hav- 
ing in vain wandered through the gardens, 
restless and forlorn, at last arrived upon the 
banks of the river. The aspect of the place was 
dreary in the extreme: evening was closing in ; 

l5 



!tt6 THE MUMMT. 

the river looked dark and dull, and Father 
Murphj shivered and crossed himself as he 
looked around. 

** Och, murther ! but this is an awful plaoe^ 
Mr. Abelard,^ said he : *^ and I *m after think- 
ing the sooner we get out of it the better.*" 

*^ Ah, what is that P'^ cried the butler, spring- 
ing forward eagerly, and snatching at something 
in the bushes that looked light. 

It was Clara^s mantle. Abelard uttered a 
groan of horror as he recognized it; and the 
priest starting at the sound, his foot slipped, 
and he rolled into the water, floundering about 
like a huge porpoise. 

•• Oh dear ! oh dear !"•' cried Abelard, ** he 
will certainly be drowned. Submersion in an 
aqueous fluid is almost always destructive of 
animal life, and I see little chance that he 
has of escape.^ 

** Och ! and will ye let me drown while ye're 
talking ?^ asked the indignant priest. ** Before 
it*s the good-natured thing ye'd be doing in 
pulling me out, will ye let me be suffocated ?^ 

" No, no, certainly not !" returned Abelard ; 



THE MUMMY. 227 

<< my agoDj is unspeakable at your cKfftr^ss. 
I oQly doubt }iow I shall be able to raise 
you without a lever or pully. The appUcation 
of the mechanical powers—" 

^^ May go to the devil,'' cried Father Muiv 
phy, as he crawled out without assistance; 
'^ and so you would have let me drown, whilst 
you are talking of the mechanical poweris P' 

" Excuse me, father,*" returned Abelard ; 
^^ friendship is a powerful affection of the 
human mind ; it invigorates, it warms — "** 

<< Does it,^^ said the priest, shaking himself 
like, a water-spaniel ; ^* then I should be very 
g^ad to have a little of it at present, for I am 
shivering with cold." 

^* I am surprised to hear you talk of cold^ 
father,^' said Abelard. *^ You are, surely, too 
fat to fee] cold; for animal oil is universally 
allowed to be a bad conductor of caloric." 

Father Murphy did not speak, but his look 
was sufficient, and his teeth clattering in hip 
head afforded an unple commentary upon the 
text. 

" It is strange," continued the butler, " that 



SS8 THE MXJMKV. 

fat people generally seem ashamed of their 
obesity, for they have many advantages which 
lean people never can enjoy. For instance, 
they ought never to feel any violent craving 
for food* Fat serving as an interdium, through 
which the nutritive matter extracted from food 
passes, before it is assimilated to repair the loss 
of the individual, ought to serve as a magazine 
to supply his wants; and a fat man should 
be able to abstain from food much longer than 
another; because, during his abstinence, the 
collected fat must be rapidly re-absorbed." 

" Oh !" groaned Father Murphy, " would to 
Heaven I had a broiled rump steak at this 
moment, smoking hot, and swimming in gravy ; 
and a fine frothing pot of porther !" 

^^ A rump steak is no bad thing," resumed 
Abelard, his mouth watering at the bare 
mention of the savory viand ; ^^ and I do not 
wish it to be understood, by any means, that 
a man can live without eating. On the con- 
£rary, the indivisibility and individuality of the 
living body, can only be maintained by an 



THB M0MMY. SS9 

incessant change of the particles which enter 
into its composition; part of the animal food 
being reduced into chyle, and part becoming 
bones ; which are, in fact, only secretory organs, 
incrusted with phospate of lime. The lym» 
phatic vessels remove this salt, and — " 
« ^' Och ! and it 's Clara you are forgetting 
{ill this while,'^ interrupted Father Murphy. 
" The purty creature ! — sure, and it 's her manthle 
after all, so it is; and here we are talking of 
stuff and nonsense ; and quite forgetting she 's 
drowned, and kilt all over, pure soul !^^ 

'^ Alas! alas!" returned Abelard, *' I have 
not forgotten her ; and I assure you, I feel my 
lachrymal gland suffused almost to overflow- 
ing, whenever a thought of what may be her 
fate shoots across ray pianmater." 

The despair of the duke and Sir Ambrose, 
when they saw their emissaries return with the 
clothes of Clara, may be easily imagined ; and 
when they heard of the flight of Elvira, and the 
threats which Father Morris now openly in- 
dulged in, that the ex-Queen should be pub- 



S80 THB MUMMY. 

lickly executed if found* for having endeavoured 
to raise an insurrection, the climax of their 
miseiy seemed fulL 

In the mean time the party of Elvira did 
not dare to leave the hut in which they had re- 
mained pent up the whole day; their horses 
being crowded within its walls, as well as them- 
selves, to prevent the posdbility of discovery. 
At length, the shades of evening began to fall, 
and they again set forward at a rajnd pace: 
though the agony they had suffered all day 
from fear of detection — the narrow space in 
which they had been cooped up, together with 
want of food, had exhausted the Queen so 
much that the morning found h^r unable to 
proceed without refreshment, and about day- 
break they were obliged to approach a cottage 
to implore assistance. 

The cottager and his son were out at work ; 
but the woman of the house agreed to give 
the fugitives the shelter they requested. The 
prince, delighted at receiving this permission, 
flew back to the Queen to lift her from her 
horse ; but, alas ! Elvira was not in a state to 






THE MUMMY. S31 

enjoy even the most welcome tidings. Pale and 
livid as a corpse, her head hung upon the 
prince's shoulder as he bore her into the hoUse, 
and her terrified friends thought she had ex* 
pired. A little warm milk^ howevel*, revived 
her, and she opened her eyes. 

" I am ready— quite ready — to go oii," said 
she gasping for utterance, and again sinking 
back in a fainting fit. 

*' It is impossible she can proceed in this 
state,^' said the prince to Clara, in a whisper ; 
** what will become of us ?^ 

" We must remiun here quietly, till she is 
better,^ said Clara. 

^* But if we should be pursued and taken ?^ 

" We cannot die better than in such a cause,'* 
said the heroic girl. 

'^ It is strange,^ said the prince, looking at 
her earnestly, '^ that the Queen has been able 
to inspire such enthusiastic devotion in such a 
mere boy.** 

Clara blushed, and cast her eyes upon the 
ground, whilst the prince gazed upon her 
blushing cheeks still more earnestly, till she 



28S THB MUMMY. 

turned away from him abashed. He took her 
hand ; ^' I cannot be mistaken,^ said he» ^* it 
iSf it iss Miss Montague !" 

Clara^s agitation betrayed her. ^^ I must at- 
tend the Queen^*^ said she, breaking from him ; 
and the prince, respecting the awkwardness of 
her situation, forbore to urge her farther: he 
felt, however, completely happy. Clara was 
too artless to conceal the interest he had ex- 
cited in her breast, and it was not in the nature 
of man to be indifferent to the devotion of so 
young and lovely a creature. His eyes alone 
expressed his happiness; and Clara, who felt 
his deUcacy in refraining from making any 
farther observations on her disguise, found her 
love for him increased tenfold by his forbear- 
ance. 

A few hours' repose restored Elvira so much, 
that she wished to pursue her journey imme- 
diately, and it was with the greatest diflBculty 
that the prince persuaded her to wait till night- 
fall. ^^ You must recruit your strength," said 
he, " or you will never be able to plead your 



THE MUMMY. S83 

cause with the redoubtable Roderick. Be is 
too stern a hero to be won as I was.'' 
* ^^ Oh, it is impossible to describe how I dread 
to meet him/' cried Elvira ; " I tremble at his 
name. A being so fierce and stern as he is, 
will perhaps not even condescend to listen to 
a woman's prayer, and he will spurn me from 
him." 

" Impossible !" cried the prince ; ** though I 
own, I wish we could do without him.^ 

Whilst the principals were thus employed, 
the cottager's wife was endeavouring to learn 
from Hans who and what they were. " That 
poor lady seemed dreadfully tired,'' siud she. 
** When she came, she looked just like a droop- 
ing daffadowndilly ; when the gentlemen lifted 
her from her horse — oh ! it was quite moving 
to see her !*' 

" Ja !" said Hans. 

^^ However, though her illness should occa- 
sion a little delay," continued the cottager ; ^* I 
opine that you must be unreasonable to grum- 
ble^ when you consider 'the delightful occasion 



S84r THB MVMH7. 

it affords yoa of refreshing your olfactory nerres 
by partaking of a little of this odcniferoas at- 
mosphere." 

*^ My what nerves ?'* asked Hans. 

^^ Your olfactory nerves/' replied the learned 
cottier, with a look of the greatest possible 
eontempt : '^ that is, the nerves that line the 
membrane of the nasal organ. Every child 
knows that the nasal fossae are formed to re- 
ceive sensations^ as by their depth and extent 
a larger surface is given to the pituitary mem- 
brane, and these soft dnuses, or cavities, are 
. enabled to retain a greater mass of air loaded 
with odoriferous matter."' 

Poor Hans stood aghast at this explanation, 
which he found something like that said to be 
l^en by Dr. Johnson, when he called net-wcnrk 
a complicated concatenation of rectangular an- 
gles ; and afraid to speak, lest he idiould draw 
upon lumself a new volley of words as astound- 
ing as the last, he remained silent, staring at his 
ocnnpanions with mudi the same kind of feeling 
as that with which a wild man of the woods just 



cftught, might be supposed to gaze upon en- 
lightened SuTopeans. 

'^ Can you give me some more warm milk ?" 
asked Clara, who now descended in search of 
refreshments for the Queen. 

^* Do you think so much of the tepid lacteous 
fluid good for the lady V^ asked the cottager, as 
die put some milk into a saucepan. 

^* She can take nothing else," returned Clara. 
^^ How delightfully that girl sings !" continued 
she, listening with rapture to a milk-maid, who 
was chanting an Italian bravura as she was 
milking her cow. 

" Yes," replied the cottager, " Angelica 
sings well. The parieties of her larynx are in a 
very tense condition, and her trachea is quite 
cartilaginous. But here comes my good man/' 
continued she ; ^^ he has been hard at work all 
day in the toads, and I am sure he must want 
some refreshment." 

^* I do indeed feel excessive lassitude, missis,^ 
said the cottager, as he came in ; ^^ and I want 
something to eat. What have ye got ? Do see* 



^ J 



286 THB MUMMr. 

will you, for it 's dreadful hard work breaking 
stones; most we had to day were primitive 
limestone, but I found a few fine specimens 
of quartz. The crystals were quite rhomboidal, 
and I stopped at least half an hour admiring 
them." 

** Rock crystals are often found amongst 
quartz," said his wife ; " so I don't think you 
had any occasion to lose your time in admiring 
them, when, you know, you break stones by 
measure, and your wife and children are starv- 
ing for want of bread." 

^^ Do not distress yourself upon that head, 
my good woman,'* said Clara; " we have mo- 

« 

ney, and our gratitude will not permit you to 
want any thing that we can ^ve you.'' 

** Thank you, thank you," cried the woman; 
^' it 's a pleasure to serve a generous gentleman 
like your honour." 

" What a charming voice you have ^ said 
Clara, turning away to avoid the woman's 
praises, and addressing herself to the milk- 
maid; who, having finished her task, now 



THE MUMMY. 237 

Stepped over the stile which divided the field 
from the garden of the cottage, with a pail 
of milk upon her head, and advanced grace- 
fully towards them in measured steps. 

** I am very happy to have pleased you, 
Sir,'* replied the girl, dropping her foot into 
the fourth position, as she made an elegant 
curtsy, and then glided gracefully on. 

" Stay, stay !" cried Clara ; " won't you 
give us another song before you go ?'' 

** You must excuse me. Sir," said the girl, 
again gracefully curtsying; ^^ I am exceed- 
ingly sorry to be obliged to refuse a gentleman 
of your appearance; but singing requires an 

4 

alternate enlargement and contraction of the 
glottis, an elevation and depression of the larynx, 
and an elongation and shortening of the neck, 
very difficult to be performed with a pail of 
milk upon one's head !*" 

" Set down the pail, then,^ said Clara. 

^' Indeed I can^t. Sir ; for I have not a mo- 
ment to spare. I just met some gentlemen of 
my acquaintance on the hill, and as I expect 



888 TRB MUMMY, 

them here every moment, I must snatch an 
instant or two to arrange my toilette.^ 

^^ Gentlemen of your acquaintance !^' cried 
the mother ; ^^ what gentlemen can you have 
met with here, child, that know you ?** 

^^ My cousin John who went for a soldier 
some time since, and a party of his companions.^ 
^ And what brings them in these parts P No 
good, I fear; for John was always a wild good- 
for-nothing lad." 

*^ It is no evil, I assure you, mother,^ said 
Angelica pertly ; " but you are always fancy- 
ing the worst. John is become a man of con- 
sequence now, and he is, at the head of a party 
of soldiers, searching for tame state prisoners. 
He ^11 be made a captain if be finds them: 
and I hope he will, with all my heart.^ 
" Where are they now ?*" asked the mother. 
" In the wood," replied the girl ; " and my 
brother is gone to help them to search, as he'll 
get a share of the reward if they find the fu- 
gitives whilst be is with theiQ.^ 
" And you'd go too, if you'd any wit,'* said 



the wife to her huabasd^ who had now seated 
hunself comfortably befoce the fire, and seem- 
ad very unwilling to be disturbed. Inspired, 
however, by his wife^s remonstrance he roused 
himself, and stretching his heavy limbs, rolled 
rather than walked away, Angelica had also 
retired, and Clara was left alone with the wo- 
man. It has already been mentioned, that pre- 
sence of mind was one of Clara^s distinguish, 
ing characteristics; and, perceiving the danger 
^f the Queen, she was aware not a moment 
was to be lost. The observations of the wo- 
man to her husband, and, in fact, her whole 
manner, showed that avarice was her master 
passion, and upon this hint Clara spoke. She 
offered her abundance of gold; she enlarged 
upon the greediness of the soldiers, who, if 
she waited for their approach, would perhaps 
cheat her of her share in the promised reward, 
or, at least, give her such a trifle as would not 
be. worth having ; and at last drew forth the 
glittering metal and spread it before her eyes. 
Gold softens the hardest heart, and the cot- 



S40 THE MUMMY. 

tager's wife oould resist no longer, but promised 
to connive at their escape. 

Clara instantly ordered Hans to prepare the 
horses ; and, informing the prince and Elvira of 
what had passed, the whole party again set for^ 
ward on their eventful journey. 



THE MUMMY. 9il 



CHAPTER VII. 

In the mean time, Roderick had been com- 
pletely victorious in Spain. He had reached 
Madrid and established Don Pedro as King; 
and was now on his return to Seville, where he 
had left M. de Mallet and his charming daugh- 
ter. Edric, of course, accompanied him ; but 
the rest of the army had marched to Cadiz to 
embark, the Greek page only attending upon 
his master. 

" Well, Edric !'' said the King, laughing, as 
they approached Seville, " does not your heart 
beat with pleasure at the thought of quitting 
Spain r 

" How can you torment me so, Roderick d"^ 

•* Torment you ! why I thought you would 

VOL. III. M 



242 THB MUMMT. 

be in raptures ; though I must own, if you are, 
thej are the most melancholy raptures I ever 
beheld in my life." 

*^ This raillery is not generous. It is un- 
worthy of you. I own I love Mademoiselle 
de Mallet — ^but I despair." 

" And why T 

*' Alas ! how can I ask her to share the for- 
tunes of a banished man P" 

" Am not I your friend ?^^ 

" I know it ; but I cannot brook dependence 
even upon you." 

" I do not wish yon to be dependent ; but 
what can I do to serve you ? Shall I make war 
upon this cross old father of yours ?" 

"Oh, do not speak of him so lightly! Say 
what you please of me, but spare my father !" 

" I respect your feelings ; and as I can say 
no good of him, I will have the discretion to be 
silent.*' 

Edric felt no inclination to reply to this re- 
mark, and they travelled on in perfect silence 
till they reached Seville. Here they found 
every thing changed : the town had been par-^ 



THE MUKMY. 



S43 



tially re-built, and the lovely groves of orange 
and myrtle trees in the vicinity, glowing with 
all the rich luxuriance of a southern spring, 
gave no idea of the scene of ruin and desolation 
it had before presented. They inquired for 
the house of M. de Mallet, and upon entering 
the inner square, or court-yard, they found him 
seated under the piazza that stretched round 
it, enjoying the evening breeze, whilst his fair 
daughter, now perfectly recovered, was occupied 
in reading to him. 

A fountain played in the centre of the court, 
its sparkling spray descending in silvery show- 
ers ; whilst innumerable orange trees and flow- 
ering shrubs, which were placed around, per- 
fumed the air with their delicious fragrance; 
and a light awning, spread over the roof of the 
court, mellowed the light to a soft though glow- 
ing tinge, which gave an lur of voluptuous lan- 
guor to the whole scene. 

The delight felt by M. de Mallet and his 
daughter at again seeing their deliverers was 
enthusiastic ; and though it was most openly ex- 
pressed by the father, the burning cheeks and 

M S 



244 THE MUMMY. 

sparkling eyes of Pauline spoke quite as intel- 
ligibly her silent transport. 

" We have long expected you," said M. de 
Mallet; ^^ for I cannot describe how anxious 
we are to leave this country. Pauline has wiea- 
ried Heaven with prayers for your safety, and 
as I have felt my strength decay daily, I too 
have prayed for your return, for I have a se- 
cret to confide to you which weighs heavily upon 
my spirits." 

" To confide to us ?" cried Edric. 

" Yes, to you,'' said M. de Mallet. " It is 
true I have not known you long; but some 
circumstances make men better acquainted in 
a month than the ordinary routine of life does 
in years. Thus, the kindness with which you 
have treated me, and the important events in 
which I have seen you engaged, have made me 
consider you as old and tried friends, and have 
induced me to confide to you a secret which I 
have hitherto guarded with the most scrupu- 
lous fidelity." 

" What can you mean ?^ asked Edric in as- 



THE MUMMY. S45 

tonishment; whilst Pauline gazed upon her 
father with a look of the most intense anxiety. 

" Pauline is not my child !'' said the old man 
impressively. Pauline uttered a cry of agony 
that thrilled through the souls of her auditors, 
and threw herself at his feet, looking up in Lis 
face with an expression of the bitterest anguish^ 
as though she implored him not to desert her. 
M. de Mallet's agitation was equal to her own. 
and, as he fondly regarded her, he continued : 
"Yes, miserable being that I am! I am not 
her father. Alas ! often when I have beheld 
her enduring hunger and thirst for my sake ; 
when I have seen her delicate frame exhausted 
with fatigue or shivering with cold, whilst 
still with angelic sweetness she has seemed to 
forget her own sufferings, and to think only 
of alleviating mine — oh, then, how I have 
burned to tell her that I did not deserve 
her kindness, and that I was an alien from 
her blood !" 

" Oh father! my dearest father!'' cried Pau- 
line, her eyes streaming, with tears; " what 



246 THX MUMMT. 

do you not deserve from me ? What is there 
that I could do, that could half express my 
love and gratitude? Alas! though I am not 
your child, the tender care you took of my 
infancy — ^your kindness, your affection — " Pau- 
line could not continue, her sobs impeded her 
utterance. 

" My dear child T said M. de Mallet : and 
folding her in his arms, he mingled his tears 
with hers; whilst Roderick and Edric were 
both too powerfully affected to interrupt their 
sorrows, and stood gazing upon them in silence, 
though both ardently desired an explanation of 
this seeming mystery. After a short pause, 
M. de Mallet resumed : ^^ I see the astonish- 
ment I have caused you, and my heart bleeds 
for the pain I have been compelled to inflict 
upon Pauline, but I could not die in peace 
without disclosing the truth.*^ 

" Oh, do not talk of dying !" cried Pauline, 
still clinging to him with the fondest affection. 

^* And who are the parents of MademoiseUe 
de Mallet P^ demanded Roderick. 



THE MUMKY. 247 

^' Alas ! I know not,'' returned the Swiss. 
" About twenty years ago, I was travelling in 
England with my wife, who, afflicted with an 
incurable disease, had been advised to try the 
skill of English physicians, they being consider^ 
ed the most able in the world. One night, my 
poor wife being exhausted with fatigue, we 
stopped at a small inn in a village near the sea 
coast. The night was tempestuous, and a blaz* 
ing light in the kitchen tempted us to wait there 
whilst the parlour was prepared for us. A 
woman sate near the fire, with a lovely little 
girl, about two years old, playing at her feet. 
My poor wife was always passionately fond of 
children, though Heaven had never blest us 
with any; and attracted by the exquisite beauty 
of the little cherub, she took it in her arms 
and began to caress it. 

" * Is your honour fond of children ?' asked 
the woman, with an evident affectation of vul- 
garity. 

** * I dote upon them,' replied my wife. * Oh, 
Louis,' continued she, addressing me in French, 



248 THE MUMMY. 

' if I could leave such an angel as this to supply 
my place to you, I think I could be resigned 
to die/ 

** * If your honours like the child, you may 
have her/ said the woman. 

** I started : but recollecting that, from the 
over education of the lower classes in England, 
they were all linguists, the circumstance of 
the woman understanding what we said did not 
appear extraordinary. ' She is my child,' con- 
tinued the woman ; * I live hard by — and have 
only taken shelter here from the storm. The 
landlady knows me very well. My husband 
has been dead some months ; and, as I find it 
hard work to maintain myself and the child 
too, I own I shall be glad to place her in hands 
where she is sure to be taken care of.' 

" The woman's tale seemed plausible ; and 
my wife and I were easily induced to conclude 
the bargain which gave us possession of Pauline ! 
We visited the cottage of this woman the next 
morning, and found her story true, excepting 
that she had only lived there a few weeks. 
This, however, appeared immaterial ; as indeed 



THE MUMMY. S49 

sbe had not fixed any definite time for the 
period of her residence, and gave some reason 
which I have forgotten, for having left her 
former abode when her husband died. Soon 
after this, we left England, taking Pauline 
with us : her beauty increased with her years ; 
and when my poor wife died, which she did 
a few months after our return to Switzerland, 
Pauline formed the sole consolation of my life. 
Two or three years afterwards, a friend of 
mine visiting England called by my desire 
upon the reputed mother of Pauline. He 
found the cottage deserted, and the landlady 
of the inn told him, that the woman had left 
the place a few hours after we had done so 
ourselves. 

" This circumstance, combined with the evi- 
dently aflected vulgarity of the woman, and 
the elegance and delicacy of ^Pauline, has al- 
ways induced me to suspect I was the dupe of 
a deception, and that the child had been stolen 
from parents in a superior rank of life to that in 
which I found her. Whether my conjectures 
are correct, I know not ; but when I have 

M 5 



5150 THB MUMMY. 

surveyed the beauty and graces of my child, 
my breast has smote me for confining her to my 
own humble station, and I have determined, 
whenever circumstances would permit, to take 
her to England, and endeavour, if possible, to 
elucidate the mystery that hangs over her 
destiny." 

*' Accompany me then to Ireland,^ said Ro- 
derick, ** and when you have stayed . there till 
you are tired, if you still wish to prosecute your 
researches, I will give you letters of introduc- 
tion to the English Court, and I sincerely hope 
we may find our fair friend to be a princess of 
the blood at least." 

In the mean time, M. de Mallet^s narrative 
had caused the greatest agitation in the breasts 
of Edric and Pauline. " Not his daughter !^ 
thought the former ; *' whose then can she be ?'* 
and his imaginafion ran wild amongst a variety 
of dreams and fancies, each more extravagant 
than the last : for to suppose the elegant * and 
accomplished Pauline the daughter of a mere 
peasant was impossible ; and the transporting 
hope that she might yet be his, with the consent 
of his father and the approbation of all his 



% 



THE HUMMY. 951 

friends, danced before him ; whilst Pauline, un- 
certain what to think, and unable to analyze 
her own sensations, felt, even amidst the deso- 
lation in which the avowal of M. de Mallet had 
involved her, a faint emotion of pleasure still 
throb at her heart, when she reflected that now 
her country was that of her lover, and that it 
was possible— -she dared go no farther, for her 
senses seemed unable to support the intoxicat- 
ing thoughts of what might follow. 

It had been agreed that our friends should 
remain a few days at Seville, to give the army 
at Cadiz time to recover from the fatigue of 
their march previous to their embarkation : but 
the morning after their arrival, a courier arrived 
with dispatches from England, which made Ro« 
derick impatient to leave Spain immediately. 
He was at breakfast when these letters, which 
had been forwarded to him from Cadiz, were 
put into his hands. He changed colour, and, 
starting from his seat, begged Edric to follow 
him into the garden. 

'^ Good God, what is the matter ?'^ asked M. 
de Mallet. 

"Nothing, nothing!" replied Roderick; 



252 THE MUMMT. 

*'but that I must return to Ireland imme- 
diately.^ 

And waving his hand as though to repel far- 
ther inquiry, he left the room; Edric followed 
in silence. ^^ Edric,^ said the Irish Monarch, 
throwing himself into a garden-seat and burying 
his face in his hands; ^* Elvira is dethroned, 
and perhaps murdered, all owing to my cursed 
folly in remaining so long in Spain.*" 

" Elvira !'' exclaimed Edric, looking at his 
ftiend in the most profound amazement ; for he 
could not imagine why he took so deep an in- 
terest in her fate. 

** I see your astonishment, Edric," resumed 
the King ; " but I have not now time to explain 
whys and wherefores. Suffice it to say, that I 
adore Elvira, and if she perish, I will not 
survive her." 

A piercing shriek burst from the thicket as 
he uttered these. words, and both Edric and 
Roderick sprang involuntarily to the spot — ^it 
was vacant; they searched the wood, but no 
creature was to be seen. 

" It was fancy," said Edric. 
It was the Mummy," murmured the King, 



<c 



THE MUMMY. 253 



(6 



come to chide me for doubting his promises 
for an instant.**' 

" The Mummy !" cried Edric ; " good God ! 
what do you mean ?'^ and he gazed with horror 
upon the wild and haggard countenance of his 
friendy who he seriously believed had become 
distracted. His looks recalled the fleeting senses 
of Roderick, and with a ghastly smile he re- 
plied, " I am not mad, though I have enough 
to make me so. We must return to Ireland 
without a moment's delay, and there re-inforce 
my army. Elvira must be restored immedi- 
ately, for her life is in danger from every mo- 
ment's delay.'' 

'* I hope not," said Edric ; ** for though I 
detest Rosabella, I do not think her capable of 
assassination." 

" If she be not, Father Morris is," returned 
Roderick, in a low voice, with a look of intense 
feeling. 

Edric turned pale — " In the name of God, 
tell me who and what you are .?" said he ear- 
nestly ; *' and how you have obtained this close 
knowledge of the English Court." 

" I am called the Devil's favourite, vou 



854 THE HUMMY. 

know/' returned Roderick, smiling, in spite of 
his distress, at his firiend's embarrassment, ^f and 
it would be very hard if my patron did not give 
me a hint now and then upon subjects of im- 
portance.**^ 

^^ How can you jest upon such a topic ?^ 
asked Edric reproachfully. 

** True," returned Roderick ; " as you say, 
the subject is not one to joke upon : for we 
must quit Seville in a few hours, and leave M . 
de Mallet and the pretty Pauline to follow us 
under the escort of my Greek page ; or rather, 
what perhaps you would prefer, you shall stay 
behind to take care of them, and Alexis and I 
will proceed alone.^' 

** Oh Roderick !" exclaimed Edric, " how can 
you imagine I could leave you ?" 

" Not even for Pauline ?"" asked the King, 
smiling. 

" Not even for Pauline,'^ repeated Edric 
firmly ; " my love for you surpasses even the 
devoted love of woman ; and whilst I breathe, 
neither peril nor pleasure shall tear me from 
your side.'' 



THE MUMMY. 355 

" My dear Edric !'' said Roderick ; the tears 
glistening in his eyes : the next instant, how- 
ever, he dashed them away, and added gaily, 
" But come, we must go and make our bows, 
and take our leave like pretty behaved cava^ 
liers ; and you may trust my discretion, Edriq, 
that I will not tell Pauline of your want of 
gallantry," 

The Greek page looked the image of des- 
pair, when he heard his master's commands 
that he should remain behind; and passions, 
dark as the lowering heavens before a storm, 
hung upon his brow. He offered no opposition, 
however, to his master's will ; and crossing his 
arms upon his breast, bent his head in token of 
obedience. 

The voyage of Edric and Roderick to Ire- 
land was rapid and favourable in the extreme ; 
and on their arrival, their reception was enthu- 
siastic. The Irish are proverbially warm- 
hearted, and the rapture with which they now 
greeted their victorious Monarch defies descrip- 
tion. Triumphal arches were erected, the 
walls were hung with tapestry, and the streets 



256 THE MUMMY. 

Strewed with flowers, to greet his entry into 
his capital. Roderick did not refuse these 
honours; but it was evident to ^ who knew 
him well, that his mind was o&upied with 
other things ; and, in fact, he took his measures 
so promptly and so decidedly, that, by the time 
his army, with M. de Mallet and his daughter. 
Dr. Entwerfen, and the Greek page, arrived 
from Spain, he had assembled a force quite 
sufficient for the restoration of the Queen. 

The very day that Elvira fled in terror from 
the power of her rival, the combined army of 
Roderick began its march to hasten to her 
assistance ; and it had nearly advanced through 
the whole of the tunnel, under the sea which 
separates the two kingdoms, without opposi- 
tion. Orders were now given for the soldiers 
to rest for the night, and tents were rapidly 
pitched for that purpose. Roderick, however, 
coidd not sleep; and he stood with his arms 
folded, gazing at the singular scene before him, 
the innumerable torches fixed against the dark 
sides of the tunnel shedding their lurid light 
around^ and showing distinctly the long line 



THE MUIfMY. 257 

of white tents that stretched as far as the eye 
could reach; whilst the distant roaring of the 
sea above their heads, sounded like the hoarse 
murmur of gathering thunder. 

Whilst Roderick was thus engaged, Edric 
perceived a group of people enter the cavern 
from the English side, and eagerly inquire for 
the King. They were brought before him ; 
they were four in number : but one stayed be- 
hind, holding their horses, which looked dread- 
fully jaded and distressed ; whilst the other * 
three^ a man and two women, approached and 
threw themselves at Roderick's feet : " Good 
Grod ! it is Elvira,'' exclaimed he. 

** Henry Seymour !" screamed the Queen, 
and fell senseless upon the ground. 

In the mean time all was anarchy in England. 
Disgusted with the world and with himself, the 
King secluded himself from society, and passed 
his time entirely upon a small estate adjoining 
the chateau of his father. Sir Ambrose and he 
often met ; but they never spoke, though their 
hearts yearned towards each other. With all 
his good qualities, Sir Ambrose was prejudiced 



t68 TH» MUMMY. 

aad obstinate; he loved his son passionately, 
but he could not endure a rebel, and the poor 
old man was fast sinking into the grave, for 
want of the very consolation he would not con- 
descend to receive. 

Edmund also was wretched: the habits of 
respect in which he had always been brought up 
towards his father, prevented his daring to in- 
trude upon him against his will, though he 
would willingly have relinquished his empty 
title of King, and have exposed himself to all 
the miseries of absolute want, to have obtuned 
the privilege of throwing himself upon his 
father^s neck, and receiving his forgiveness* 
The title of Edmund wi^s, indeed, now only 
an empty one. Rosabella alone exercised the 
power of a Sovereign, and her haughty temper 
and capricious tyranny made her universally 
detested. Monarchs to be respected must be 
firm; and whilst they continue to inspire re- 
spect, they may sometimes venture to be tyrants. 
But Rosabella was no longer respected ; she 
was despised ; and the Commons finding them- 
selves oppressed, and their complaints com- 



THE MUMMY. Sd9 

pletely unattended to, began to regret the 
gentle sway of Elvira. " She, at least,'' said 
they, '^treated us with kindness; and if she 
did refuse our petitions, it was with gentleness; 
But now we are treated with scorn, and tram- 
pled beneath the feet, not only of the Queen, 
but of her confessor. We will not, we cannot 
bear it." 

Sad and mournful also was the life of the 
Duke of Cornwall: for days and hours he 
would wander in the gardens of his chateau 
with his friend Sir Ambrose, and lament sor- 
rowfully over the complete destruction of his 
hopes. 

In these walks they often saw Edmund, glid- 
ing at a distance like a solitary ghost, and 
plunging amongst the trees when he thought 
himself observed. ^^ How changed Edmund is 
become f'^ said the duke. ^^Alas! how guilt 
corrodes the heart! He has destroyed my 
daughter, and is now suffering the penalty of 
his crime.'' 

** Say not so," rejoined Sir Ambrose, who 
could not bear to hear his son blamed by any 



960 THE MUMMY. 

one but himself ; ^' if Elvira had not eloped with 
Prince Ferdinand — ^ 

" Eloped with Prince Ferdinand !" cried the 
duke, — " I did not expect this. What I can 
you, Sir Ambrose, join in the general voice ? 
Will you slander poor Elvira ? Elvira, whom 
you have known from her cradle — ^whom you 
have loved and fondled as your own child ?"" 
" Patience ! patience ! my good friend.*" 
" I have no patience, I can have no patience, 
when I hear my daughter scandalized — my 
poor motherless girl ! Remember, if she should 
err, she lost her mother in her childhood — she 
has been always brought up with me, and as 
she has been the playfellow of your sons, from 
her earliest infancy, perhaps she may not act 
according to those rigid restraints imposed upon 
her sex, by those who have been secluded from 
the society of men. But she means well^ Sir 
Ambrose, she means well I am certain, and I *d 
answer for her virtue with my life. Besides, 
you know, she has alwitys been used to have an 
intimate friend of the Mother sex ; — You know 
Edmund — " *. 



THE MUMMY. 261 

*' No one ever blamed her whilst Edmund 
was her friend.'' 

" And who dares blame her now ? No one, 
I trust, whilst I have an arm and a sword ready 
to defend her." 

'* My good friend, you reason like a fond 
father ; who, though he sees, is willing to ex- 
cuse the faults of his offspring : your judgment 
condemns Elvira, even more than mine." 

" No, no, — ^if I thought her wrong, I should 
blame her as you do. Your partiality to 
Edmund blinds you, and you fancy my poor 
child has a thousand faults, because she was 
not sensible to the merit of your son.'' 

" You mistake me quite; my opinion of 
Elvira would be just the same if Edmund 
were not in existence : though I acknowledge 
frankly, that every time I see his fine noble 
countenance, worn with care — his pale cheeks 
and sunken eyes — I feel a pang through my 
inmost soul. It is a strange infatuation that 
she should repulse my noble boy, and yet 
elope so readily with a youth she scarcely 
knew." 



S6S THE MUMMY. 

** Take care what you say. Sir Ambrose — 
take care what you say, — I will not have my 
child insulted.^ 

^' I do not wish to insult her — I speak 
but the truth — I do not evenHhink her guilty, 
though the whole Court rings with her shame.^ 

'' Guilt! shame 1 And this to me ! Oh God J 
Oh God ! I have lived too long ! To hear ray 
child thus basely slandered, and be unable to 
resent it !^ 

*^ Base ! and is this the conclusion of our 
long friendship — Base ! and have I lived to be 
called base, for merely blaming a coquettish 
wanton ?" 

" Wanton !" cried the duke, and transport- 
ed by his passion he struck Sir Ambrose vio- 
lently. The aged baronet could not endure 
this insult ; his sword flew from his scabbard, 
and in a few seconds these ancient friends were 
engaged in mortal combat. 

It was a shocking thing to see these two old 
men, their white hair streaming in the wind — 
their venerable features wrinkled with age, and 
their feeble frames tottering for support — ^fight- 



THC MUMMY. f63 

ing with all the vindictive fury of youth. How 
fearful is the storm of passion ! How vile the 
human heart when left to its own workings! 
Every gentler feeling was extinguished in the 
breasts of the two veterans, and only brutal 
rage remained. For some time victory was 
doubtful; but at last Sir Ambrose fell, and 
in another moment the sword of his antagonist 
would have passed through his bosom, had not 
a powerful arm arrested the stroke. It was 
Edmund ! he had heard the clashing of swords 
at a distance, and, rushing to the spot, arrived 
just in time to prevent the fatal blow. 

"Oh my father r* cried Edmund with a 
thrill of horror, " for God's sake, do not die 
till you have forgivea me ! He hears me not l'^ 
cried he, wringing his hands in unutterable an- 
guish. ** Oh, for mercy's sake, speak ! Do not 
destroy me." 

Sir Ambrose feebly opened his languid eyes : 
" Farewell," said he, faintly : " God bless you !'" 

" Oh, do you forgive me !" shrieked Ed- 
mund, falling upon his knees. 

** I do,*' said Sir Ambrose : " and — ^the — 



264 THE MUMMY. 

duke;** the words feebly ebbed from his lips; 
and, as be spoke, the fearful rattle of death 
gurgled in his throat, and with a convulsive sob 
he expired. 

Sadly did the duke now gaze upon his fallen 
foe, but when he found him dead he was dis- 
tracted. Madly he tore his hair, and threw 
himself upon the corpse ; but his agonies were 
in viun, the vital spark was extinct. Edmund 
stood also for some seconds gazing upon the 
body, without any distinct idea existing in his 
mind ; but when the whole sad reality rushed 
upon him, he could not endure his own 
thoughts, and darted away with the velocity 
of lightning. The duke heeded not his de- 
parture; he had thrown himself upon the 
body of his departed friend, and the whole 
universe seemed to contain for him onlj' that 
bloody corpse. " I have killed him ! I have 
killed him r cried he, " I have killed him !'' 

His fearful shrieks soon drew many persons 
to the spot. " I have killed him !" screamed 
the duke, in answer to all interrogations ; " I 
have killed him !^ Abelard was one of the 



THE MUMMY. S65 

first collected round this mournful spectacle. 
** What can we do ?^ said he to Father Mur- 
phy, — " the case seems desperate.** 

^^ I have killed him !^ again screamed the duke 
in agony. 

"He's entirely mad,** said Father Murphy, 
" and there *s no doubt of it.*" 

" I Ve killed him !** repeated the duke, with 
a still more piercing shriek ; " I Ve killed him !^ 

"Oh he is mad!" cried all the spectators, 
whilst they attempted to remove him from the 
spot. With infinite difficulty they succeeded, 
he still clinging to the corpse, and screaming 
" I 've killed him r till his voice was lost in 
the distance. 

Whilst these scenes were transacting at the 
English Court, the army of Roderick marched 
through the kingdom without opposition, for 
the people every where, tired of the tyranny of 
her rival, received Elvira with open arms, and 
die chief nobility vied with each other in open- 
ing their houses to entertain her and her suite 
as she passed along. 

It was a fine evening in March, and the 

VOL. III. K 



266 TB£ MUHMT. 

night was clear, though cold, when Elvira, with 
hurried steps, paced the £ne terrace belonging 
to the castle of one of these noblemen. The 
Queen was evidently lost in reflection, and as she 
occasionally stopped, she threw back her long 
hair and looked up to the sky with an air of in- 
tense anxiety. ^* It is a lovely night P murmur- 
ed she : " Heaven grant that peace may still at- 
tend us ! yet, I fear I know not what of danger. 
Ob, if the forces of Rosabella should resist — 
and Roderick should fall — ^and for me — ^ 

She paused, for the thought seemed too dread- 
ful for endurance. The moon shone brightly 
in the heavens, and the stars sparkled like dia- 
monds on the clear blue sky ; whilst Elvira, 
raising her eyes to heaven, and clasping her 
hands together, seemed lost in silent p^yer. 
Her fair face, shaded by her long black veil, 
looked even more lovely than usual, &om the 
soft light thrown upon it; and, as she stood 
thus apparently quite absorbed in inward devo- 
tion> she seemed almost a celestial being de- 
scended for the moment upon earth, and about 
to remount to her native skies. 



THE MUMMY. ^7 

A figure, wrapped in a long dark cloak, |iow 
appeared at the extremity of the terrace, and 
advanced slowly towards the Queen. Two 
other figures also emerged firom the shade, and 
followed, though at a considerable distance. 
£lvjra was not aware of their approach till the 
first figure stood behind her, and seizing her 
arms, threw a cloak over her head to stifie her 
cries ; and :then, with the help of the others, 
was hurrying her off* At this moment, Ro- 
derick sprang actively upon the terrace, and 
with one blow from hi$ vigorous arm, felled 
the first assailant to the ground*; Then, draw- 
ing his sword, the enraged Monarch would have 
instantly dispatched him, had not the supposed 
assassin uttered a piercing ^creaxn, and clinging 
toand his knees, implored naeioy. The moon 
shone full lipon th^ boyi's fi^e^ and disclosed 
to Roderick's astonished eyes the features of 
the dumb page* ** Alexis !^ cried he. 
The boy sprang from the ground. 
^' Roderick T screamed he ; ^^ then I am 
ruined f 

^^ Stay:" returned the £ing, grasping his 



968 THE MUMMY. 

arm, and preventing bis escape ; *^ who, and 
what are youP Speak, or dread my veor 
geance.^ 

The boy's heart beat almost to suffocation; 
every nerve throbbed with the most violent 
emotion, and drawing a dagger from his belt, 
he attempted to plunge it into the heart of 
Roderick. " Ah T cried the King, starting 
aside in time to prevent the blow; whilst ere 
he could prevent it, the page 'had buried the 
weapon in his own bosom. 

*< Grood God V* exclaimed Roderick, *^ what 
can this mean ?^ 

The whole of this scene had passed with such 
rapidity, that Elvira had scarcely time to re- 
cover herself, or to be aware of what had hap- 
pened. The two assistants had fled the moment 
they perceived the King; and Elvira, with 
trembling steps and pallid cheeks, approached 
the spot where Roderick knelt beside the bleed- 
ing page. Throwing herself beside him, she 
attempted to staunch the blood which flowed 
rapidly from the wound, but in vain ; for the 
boy^s life was evidently fast ebbing. 



I 



THE MUMMT. S69 

Brian, a servant of the King, who had fol- 
lowed his master to the terrace, aided her endea- 
vours; but Roderick remained fixed and im- 
moveable, his eyes chained as by the power of 
fascination upon the page, who now slowly un- 
closed his eyelids, and heaving a deep sigh, 
fixed his languid eyes upon those of Roderick. 

" Zoe !" cried the King» 
. ^^ Yes,^ returned the page, gasping for 
breath, and speaking with difficulty; ** Zoei 
I am indeed that wretch. I loved you, Ro- 
derick ; I would have died for you. I do die 
for you ; but — ^but— Elvira-— " 

*' What meant your outrage upon her?** 

*' What did it mean !^ cried Zoe, her eyes 
flashing fire, and her whole frame supported by 
a supernatural energy ; *^ did I not see that you 
loved her, and could I endure to resign you to 
another ? No,^ continued she, starting from the 
ground ; ^^ I would have killed her, and, had 
she perished^ I should have died contented.^' 

The violence of the action made the blood 
gush in torrents from her wound ; and, pale and 
feeble, her failing eyes closed. She staggered 



87() THE MUMMY. 

a few paces, fell, heaved one conyulsive struggle, 
and Zoe was no more ! 

Sadly did Roderick gaze ufk>n that form 
which had so lately thrilled with feeling— now 
cold and inanimate at his feet, the victim of pas- 
sion lay before him. Her hopes, her fears, her 
rage, and her love, had passed away, and there 
her body remained, a senseless clod of cliay, till 
it should be resolved into its original elements. 
By this time, some of the servants of the casde^ 
who had been summoned by Brian, approached ; 
and the old Earl of Warwick, in whose castle 
the fatal scene had taken- place, rushed upon 
the terrace, calling wildly upon his people to 
save the Queen. 

^^ Is it the Lady Elvira that ye mane f"^ asked 
Brian ; ** Och, an^t plase yere honour, and she's 
safe, every inch of her !" 

** And what has been the matter?*" asked 
the Earl. 

" Och, and your lordship may well ask that; 
but the devil a bit any body can tell you but 
one, and that 's myself. Ye see, my master, his 
most gracious Majesty, and me were walking in 



THE M0MMY. 271* 

the. garden; that is, he was walking and I was 
watching, for fear' any harm should happen to 
him; for the life of such as he isn^t to be 
trusted to chance in a strange country, and I' 
guess he was thinking of the Queen, though he 
never said nothing about it. And so when we 
came near the terrace, it was so dark, ye couldnH 
see yere hand before you. And then the moon 
peeped through the clouds, like a pretty face 
looking through a ground-glass window. And 
then she cam^ out as bright as a silver mirror ;' 
and the Queen looked so pretty as she stood 
praying, that my master couldn^t find it in his 
heart to interrupt her; and for me, I wasn't 
the man to be even thinking of such a thing. 
And then two black-looking spalpeens, bad luck 
to them ! stole put behind her, and there wasn^t 
two, for there were three of them— with never a 
livin"* soul beside, to be seen in respect of being 
near her : but God never would suffer a rale 
lady like herself to want a friend to comfort 
her when she^d be in naad — and my master 
wouldnH let her be after coming to harm, for 
he jumpt upon the terrace entirely like a 



S7S TH£ MUBIMT. 

hound qsringiDg at the deer — and Raved her, 
which nobody but himself eoidd haive done like 
it, for the very life of "^em. And when I came^ 
there was the man lying dead that would have 
killed the princess, and it turned out he wasn^t 
a man at aU, but a woman.'' 

The story of Zoe is soon told. Bred in a 
warm climate, and naturally enthusiastic in her 
disposition, she was the child of passion. The 
misfortunes she had experienced in Greece, by 
depriving her of all she loved, had thrown back 
her affections upon h&t own bosom, and they 
had preyed upon themselves. 

To give vent to the feelings that oppress* 
ed her, she created an image of perfection in 
her own mind, and this she worstnpped in 
secret. When she saw Boderick all was 
changed; a new world seemed to open upon 
her. The idol of her fancy stood before her ; 
for Roderick realized all her wildest, dreams. 
He became her god. His heroism, his person, 
his talents, caught her imagination, and the 
violence of her passions completed the delirium 
of her soul. Notwithstanding, however, the 



THE MUMMT. 273 

intensity of her feelings, no thought of grosser 
texture contaminated her mind. Her love was 
as that of angels, pure and undefiled : — she 
regarded Roderick as a thing enshrined, al- 
most too holy for mortal vows to worship ; and 
she would have considered it sacrilege to dare 
even to think of him as a husband. 

With these feelings, she had watched over 
him, with almost a mother's love; and when 
she informed him of the conspiracy against him, 
she resolved, with all the romantic self-devotion 
of a fond woman, to follow him unknown and 
in disguise; without any plan, however, but 
that of being near him, or any hope but that 
of contributing to his happiness. Money, and 
the assistance of one or two devoted servants, 
who contrived to follow in Boderick^s trun, 
had enabled her to accomplish this. She had 
felt a momentary jealousy at his anxiety for 
Pauline, but that feeling had worn away, when 
die discovered the mutual passion of Edric and 
the fair Swiss. Now the case was different, 
and, maddened by the sight of Roderick'*s de* 
votion to Elvira, she had determined to destroy 

N B 



274 THE MUMMY. 

her. Her trusty Greeks would have asmsted 
her plah, but they fled at her detection. 

Inexpressibly shocked at what had taken 
place, Roderick could scarcely bear again to 
separate himself, even for an instant, from 
Elvira. " Do not bid me leave you,^ said he, 
looking at her with the fondest affection ; 
** You i!ihall accompany me, even to the field. 
Oh! would to Heaven you would give me a 
right to be near you for ever." 

" Alas ! alas V* replied Elvira ; " I tremble 
for the result of this fatal contest. Oh that I 
were but a humble peasant !" 

** Would to Heaven you were P cried Ro- 
derick, with enthusiasin ; ^^ for happy as I 
always am in your presence, never do I feel so 
much so, as when we seem, as at present, 
^)?cluded from the world. Then I could forget 
your rank, and all the artificial restraints gran- 
deur has thrown around you; and without 
remembering that I am Roderick, and you, 
Elvira, think only of a pair of simple lovers, 
whose weightiest care was their attendance 
upon their flocks, and whose only happiness 
consisted in loving and being beloved.^ 



THE MUMMY. 275 



«c 



Alas, Roderick r replied Elvira ; " do not 
speak of love. After the dreadful scene we 
have just witnessed, I tremble at the passion^ 
No, be my friend, Roderick. Friendship is 
more sure than love. On that, we may con- 
fidently rely ; but passion destroys itself with 
what it feeds upon — intense feelings cannot 
last." 

** Oh, Elvira ! say not so," cried Roderick, 
fixing his eyes earnestly upon her blushing 
countenance — whilst she, trembling and agi* 
tated, betrayed by her confusion the passion 
she would have fain concealed. 

How. feeble are words to express the trans* 
ports of such a moment ! 'Tis the oasis in the 
desert of life — the bright gem that casts a 
radiance even upon the dross with which it 
is surrounded. Man is born to misery — thick 
clouds hang over him, and obscure his path-^ 
dangers await hiin at every step. One single 
ray alone breaks through the gloom — bright 
as' the fairy dreams of childhood; but, alas! 
equally fleeting. 'Tis love — ^pure, passionate, 
unsophisticated love-— the only glimpse of h<ea-> 
ven vouchsafed on earth to man. And this was 



S76 THE HUMMT. 

what was now felt by Roderick and Elvira, as 
he» throwing himself at her feet, vowed eternal 
constancy, and persuaded her to acknowledge 
that her hopes of earthly happiness centered 
in him alone. 

But why do I profane such a scene, by 
attempting to describe it? Those who have 
loved, have only to recollect what they felt 
upon a similar occasion; and to those who 
have not,— Heaven help them!— -not all the 
eloquence of Cicero could give the least idea 
of any thing of the kind. Suffice it to say, 
that before Roderick and Elvira parted, she 
consented, if success should crown their efforts, 
to become his bride. 

The state of England, at this moment, de6e« 
description. The death of Sir Ambrose, and 
the insanity of the Duke of Cornwall, were 
events so shocking in themselves, that it was 
not surprising they produced a violent effect 
upon the minds of the people. Edmund had 
disappeared, and Rosabella, instigated by Fa- 
ther Morris and Marianne, becaue eyetj 
day more rapacious and tyrannical; wbi^ 



THE MUMMY. 277 

even they quarrelled amongst themselves, and 
wretchedness prevailed throughout the king- 
dom. 

This was the state of the public mind, when 
the news of the invasion of Roderick first 
reached the ears of Rosabella. 

** Marianne !^ she exclaimed, ^^ summon Fa* 
ther Morris. We are ruined," continued she, 
as tlie. reverend father entered — ** absolutely 
ruined. Roderick is invincible, and he sup- 
ports Elvira I Where is Cheops ?"' 

" Ay !^ returned Father Morris, " where 
is Cheops ? It is that accursed fiend that has 
led us on to destruction ? His counsels have 
destroyed us; for, though plausible in appear- 
smce, they have been as deceitful as the oracles 
d{ old.'* 

^^ Yet you trusted him !*" said Rosabella, 
<' I hated bim from the first ; but you trusted 
him. You thought him all perfection : he flat- 
tered your vanity, and you weakly believed 
every thing he asserted.*" 

^^ Weakly !^ cried Father Morris, his lips 
quivering with rage. 



278 THE MUMMT. 

** Yes, weakly !^ returned Rosabella ; ** for 
a child would have seen through his artifices; 
but you were deceived by them, and have 
been his dupe, his tool, his plaything.^ 

" This to me !^ cried Father Morris, gnash- 
ing his teeth together with passion. 

" Yes, to you,'' returned Rosabella coolly ; 
" for why should I longer conceal my senti- 
ments? I will no longer be your slave. You 
have made me deserted by my husband-*-hated 
by my subjects— -and detested by myself. I 
will, therefore, no longer follow your councils ; 
from henceforward I will act for myself. 
Adieu, we meet no more as friends V* 

And as she spoke, she walked out of the 
room, leaving the priest motionless with asto- 
nishment. — " This to me !" cried he to Mari- 
anne, as soon as he recovered himself sufficiently 
to speak — " to me, who have sacrificed every 
thing for her ! Did I not place her on the 

throne ? Have I scrupled even to imbrue my 
hands in blood for her sake P Have I not com- 
mitted crimes for her that weigh heavily upon 
my soul? Did I not poison Claudia? and 



TH£ MUMMY. @79 

should I not also have destroyed Elvira, if 
Cheops had not saved her P Oh, Marianne, 
am I awake ? Is it not a cruel dre^m ? Is it 
possible it can be Rosabella! Rosabella! m^ 
Rosabella f my child ! my own Rosabella ! that 
tf^s me thus r^ 

** Hush ! hush !** cried Marianne ; •' 'tis 
but the passion of a moment. Be composed. 
Rosabella still loves you ; but, irritated by the 
desertion of Edmund, and the news she has 
just heard — ^ 

" Oh,. Marianne !" interrupted the friar in 
agony, ** you may easily reason, for you never 
had a child ; but if Heaven had blessed us with 
one, you might have felt for my anguish.^ 

** I do feel for you," returned Marianne ; 
'' but does she not treat me with eqtial scorn ? 
Since the absence of Edmund she has become 
distracted, and I, who know the agonies a 
woman endures when she finds herself deserted 
by the man she adores, can feel for her.*^ 

" And who first gained her Edmund ? Would 
he ever have become her husband, had not I 
induced him ?^ 



S80 THR MI}MMY. 

^* I beUeve not ; neither would she have been 
Queen but for you." 

<< No — no. Oh ! how I have toiled for that 
ungrateful girl ! How I have adored her P' 

" You have been a devoted father.** 

^' Have I not, Marianne ? I have at least 
endeavoured to expiate my sin. I have done 
penance — I have spent nights unnumbered, in 
painful vigils. I have scourged my body, till 
the feeble flesh has sunk beneath the torture ; 
yet still my mind remains unappeased. lU^ 
morse still gnaws my vitals ! Oh, Marianne ! 
how poor is earthly grandeur to a mind dis- 
eased !" 

In this manner did these companions in ini- 
quity confer ; till at length, hating each other 
and themselves, they gave vent to mutual up- 
braiding, and parted with undisguised hatred 
and contempt. Such^ indeed, is the disgusting 
nature of sin, that though a man may shut his 
eyes to his own defects, or rather, see them 
through the magic prism of self4ove; yet he 
almost always abhors them when he sees them 
reflected in another. 



THB MUMMY. S81 

Thus it was with Father Morris.— Marianne 
bad been his associate in many scenes of vice ; 
he had) in fact, first led her from the paths of 
virtue, and, as is usual in such cases, he now 
hated the creature he had made. 

Father Morris was indeed that brother of the 
Duke of Cornwall, whose crimes and punish«- 
ment have been before slightly hinted at He 
had married in early life a beautiful and accom* 
plished woman ; but, instigated by the machi* 
nations of Marianne, whom he had previously 
seduced and abandoned, he had become jealous 
of her, and, in a paroxysm of rage, had de- 
prived her of life. This was the crime he had 
since endeavoured to expiate by the penance of 
his whole life. Vain, however, had been his 
endi$avour ! The mortification of the body 
avfflls little, where the humiliation of the spirit 
is wanting ; and Father Morris, notwithstand^ 
ing his apparent repentance^ was proud, envious, 
and intolerant. 

In sl fit of remorse, after the death of his 
wife, he had embraced a monastic life, and in 
order to subject himself to a perpetual penance, 



982 THE MUMMY. 

had placed himself as father confessor to his 
brother. No situation, in fact, could have 
been more painful to a proud spirit than this ; 
yet this daily misery Father Morris felt a pride 
in supporting without murmuring. 

It is strange, but true, that haughty spirits 
sometimes feel almost pleasure in trying their 
powers of endurance to the utmost: for there is 
a self-satisfaction in thinking we have borne 
what seems almost too much for mortals, that 
often consoles a man under the acutest agonies. 

This was the case with Father Morris, and 
the daily tortures which he endured without 
shrinking, almost reconciled him to himself. 
Ambition, however, was still his master-passion, 
and as his monastic vows prevented its indul- 
gence in his own person, he devoted himself to 
the advancement of his child. How he sue* 
ceeded, and how he was rewarded, has been 
already shown. 



THE MUMMY* 288 



CHAPTER VIII. 

" Have you heard the news ?" asked Lord 
Maysworth one morning, bustling into the break- 
fast-room of Lord Gustavus de Montfort. 

" What is it ?'^ demanded that noble lord, 
who was sitting at breakfast with his usual 
satellites. 

** The King of Ireland has arrived at Oxford 
with an immense army, intending to re-estab1is(i 
Elvira." 

" Impossible !'' cried Lord Gustavus. 

^^ Impossible !^^ echoed the satellites. 

" Something must be done,*" said Lord Mays- 
worth. 

^* Thinking as I think, and as I am confident 
evefy one who hears me must think, or at least, 
ought to think," said Lord Gustavus, '^ n6 



SM THE M0MMY. 

government can be worse than the one we have 
at present.^ 

'* The Queen has not performed one o( her 
promises,^ subjoined Dr. Hardman ; ** and her 
caprice and cruelty are beyond endurance.*" 

*' Her extravagance is unbounded,'' said Lord 
Maysworth. 

'* And her arrogance extreme,^ rejoined Lord 
Guttavus. 

The satellites shook their heads in chorus. 

** In my opinion,** said Lord Maysworth, 
" we had better seek Elvira and try to pro- 
pitiate her. She was used to be mild and 
gentle.** 

^* But will she not be too much exasperated 
with our former desertion, to listen to us?*' 
asked Dr. Hardman. 

^* I think not,** said Lord Gustavus pomp- 
ously. 

The result of this conference may be easily 
imagined. Rosabella found herself deserted ; 
many who would not have had courage to aban- 
don her cause, had they not found precedents for 
their conduct, fled in the suite of the rebel lords. 



THE MUMMY. S8S 

# 

Roderick rapidly advanced, and his army was 
every day augmented by the discontented £ nglish . 

" I am lost, Marianne !'* cried the Queen, 
when she found the enemy was within a day^s 
march of her capital : I am ruined past re- 
demption.'' 

" Do not desert yourself,'' said Marianne, 
** and you may yet be saved. If you despair, 
it is a virtual acknowledgment of the weakness 
of your cause." 

'* What will become of me ?" continued Ro- 
sabella, wringing her hands ; *' no earthly help 
'can save me." 

" But courage may," said the deep voice of 
Cheops, who had entered the room unobserved. 

" Ah r screamed Rosabella ; "it is the 
fiend !" 

Cheops laughed, and the unearthly sound 
rang hoarsely in the ears of his auditors. 

" Speak, demon ! or whatever thou art," 
cried Marianne ; ^^ shall we perish ?" 

" You shall meet with your reward !" said 
the Mummy calmly : " Are you satisfied .?" 

" Oh, Rosabella !" screamed Father Morris, 



5286 THE MUMMY. 

rushing into the room in any agony of despair ; 
*' save her ! save my child !" 

" Your child ?"" cried Rosabella 4 " can it be 
possible that you are my father?'^ 

*' I am — ^I am ; — ^but fly — fly — and I forgive 
every thing ; only let us fly !'' 

" Alas !^ cried Marianne ; " he has but too 
much reason for his agony. The enemy have 
entered the city." 

•* What will become of us ?^ ejaculated the 
friar. ^' Fiend ! monster ! barbariaiii !^^ cri^ he, 
addressing Cheops, and sizing him roughly by 
the arm ; " deliver us I It was thy accursed 
counsels which involved us in ruin. Save us !^ 

" My counsels that led you to ruin !" re- 
turned Cheops, with one of his bitter laughs ; 
" say rather, your own passions. Did I urge 
you to murder Claudia ? Nay, did I not save 
Elvira ? Did I not warn you that the throne 
and misery were inseparably connected ? And 
have not all my promises been fulfilled to the 
very letter P'' 

" Yes, yes ; to the letter," returned Father 
Morris ; ^^ but not in spirit.*' 



THE MUMMY. 287 



a 



By the fiacred hawks of Osiris kept at 
Edfou ! I swore Rosabella should be Queen, 
and you her favourite minister.'" 

*^ Talk not of what is past,** cried the priest 
impatiently ; " tell me how to act. The foe 
is at the gates of the palace."*^ 

^' Did you not say there was a secret passage, 
leading from tins chamber .^'' 

" There is ! there is !" cried Father Morris, 
with rapture ; " we will there lie concealed, 
and may surprise them.^ 

Cheops laughed : — " Am I still your foe ?" 
asked he, with his usual bitterness. 

" Name it not, name it not r cried Father 
Morris ; '^ we have not an instant to lose. Hur- 
ry into the subterranean passage. I hear the 
horses of the enemy in the court of the pa- 
lace !'' 

^* Thebes was perforated with passages, yet 
khe has fallen,^ muttered Cheops, as be followed 
the friar and Rosabella through the opening 
into the secret chamber ; Marianne joined 
them, and the spring pannel closed. 

Nothing could be more flattering than the 



S88 THE MUMMY. 

reception Elvira met with from her people. 
Roderick had placed her at the head of bis 
army, and the people hailed her appearance 
with rapture. Not a blow had been struck, for 
the army of Rosabella had joined her banners ; 
and Elvira advanced to London without oppo- 
sition. Too mild and forgiving to indulge a 
single feeling of revenge, she felt rejoiced that 
her rival had escaped, and wished no pursuit to 
be instituted. 

Edric, however, was not so quiescent. A 
thousand circumstances flashed upon his mind, 
to prove that the accession of Rosabella had been 
long planned by Father Morris, and he felt con- 
vinced he had been the dupe of the plans they 
had laid to induce him to quit the kingdom. 

^' I will find him,^' said he, ^^ and expose his 
infamy. He shall not escape me thus." 

Vain, however, was his search, and he return- 
ed to the room so lately occupied by Rosabella 
restless and dispirited. Elvira was now in this 
splendid chamber, surrounded by her friends ; 
and, trembling with agitation, was awaiting the 
expected arrival of her father. 



THE MUMMY. S89 



(C 



Oh, Heavens !^ exclaimed she^ as the poor 
old man was led in ; ^^ Roderick ! my beloved 
Roderick ! can we not save him T' 

** Alas ! returned Roderick, " I fear 

but compose yourself, my dearest girl ; all 
may yet go well.*' 

** Where is Elvira ? my child, my darling 
Elvira !" cried the old man: "I did not kill 
her ! No,^ whispered he, drawing near to Ro- 
derick ; " I killed Ai/w, it is true, but it was for 
her sake. He slandered my child, and I could 
not bear that,** 

« O God ! O God !^ cried Elvira ! « have 
mercy upon him ! It breaks my heart to 
see him thus. Leave us, I implore you,^ she 
continued, addressing her friends ; ^^ I cannot 
bear that even you should see the extent of 
his malady. Leave him with me, and per* 
haps my presence may recall his lost recollec- 
tion.'' 

Finding opposition only increased her anx- 
iety, her friends at length consented : and El- 
vira was left alone with her father. Kneeling 
by his side as he lay stretched upon a sofa, 

VOL. III. o 



290 THE MUMHT. 

the Queen endeavoured to console him; but 
he knew her not, and wrung her heart by call- 
ing vehemently upon Elvira ? ^^ If I could see 
my child,^ said he, ^^ I should die contented. 
Call my child! where is Elvira? Yes, yes, I 
know she is a Queen, and cannot come to me ! 
Yet I think even a Queen might look at her 
poor old father: I only want her to look at 
mcr 

Whilst this scene was passing, Rosabella 
and her friends lay concealed in the secret 
chamber; and, through the moveable panne?, 
watched every thing that passed. 

" Now is the time,'' cried Father Morris ; 
when he saw that Elvira, exhausted by her 
grief, had hidden her face in her hands, to 
indulge her tears unrestrainedly. 

" You ensure your own destruction if you 
attempt to kill her T said Cheops. 

** I care not,'' returned Father Morris ; and 
removing the pannel, he approached. Elvira 
saw him not : and the shining dagger already 
was aimed at her breast, when it caught the 



THX MUMMY. S91 

eye of the maniac ; and returning reason flash- 
ed through his mind. 

** Edgar !'' cried he, with a piercing scream^ 
" spare my child r 

The cry roused the friends of Elvira, who had 
remained in the antechamber, and they rushed 
in. In an instant the room was crowded ; Fa- 
ther Morris was secured ; and his confederates 
(from his having left the pannel open) discovered. 

" Edgar !" cried the duke ; " yes, it is Ed- 
gar ! my brother ! my only brother ! and this 
is Elvira. She is not fled ; I knew she was 
not ! She is safe !^ 

*^ And is it possible,*' cried Edric, " that you 
can be Duke Edgar !" 

^' I am that wretch !"' said Father Morris. 

" Then Rosabella i&— "^ 

^* My child ! and for her I have become 
the wretch I am ! Yet to her I have done my 
duty ; and if she be spared — '*^ 

" Ah r cried M. de Mallet ; " it is, it is— 
yes, I am not deceived, that is the woman who 
sold us Pauline." 

o S 



SOS THE MITliMY. 



M 



Who, which V exclaimed Edric eagerly. 
** There," cried the Swiss, pointing to Ma- 
rianne. 
<^ Marianne I" exclaimed Edric. 

" Yes," said she, " Marianne ! He is right ; 
it was I, and now is the moment of my ven- 
geance. Seduced and deserted by this man,^' 
pointing to Father Morris, '' my passions, al- 
ways impetuous, panted for revenge, /insti- 
gated him to murder the wife for whom he had 
abandoned me — / stole his child and sold her 
to a stranger — and I substituted my own wretch- 
ed offspring, whom I had had by a man he 
abhorred, in its place."** 

" What !*' cried Father Morris, his livid 
lips quivering with anguish ; ^* is not Rosabella 
my child ?" 

** No," said Marianne ; '*' twenty years ago I 
sold your child to this gentleman," pointing to 
M. de Mallet. " He was a foreigner, and I 
believed, by placing her in his hands, you 
would never see her more." 

" Then who is Rosabella?*' 

" My child, and by your servant Jacques.^ 



THE MUMMY. S93 

" Curses on thee, woman ! What ! have I 
then destroyed myself here and hereafter for 
the offspring of that wretch ? A man I detest- 
ed, abhorred, despised f 

" Yes," said Marianne with a fiendish laugh. 
^^ You abandoned me, and I swore to be re- 
venged : he heard my oath, and by promising 
to assist me obtained my consent to be his pa- 
ramour. By his aid I effected all the rest. He 
has long been dead, but still I have pursued 
my plan; and when I saw you risking soul 
and body for Rosabella, I have gloried, for I 
was revenged,'" 

" Fiend !" cried the priest ; and rushing 
upon her before any one could prevent him, he 
stabbed her to the heart, and then instantly 
withdrawing the dagger buried it in his own 
bosom. *^ Still I am revenged !^' cried Mari- 
anne, as heaving a deep sigh she expired. Fa- 
ther Morris never spoke again. 

My tale is nearly closed, for dull must be 
the mind that cannot picture all the rest. The 
duke recovered his reason, and enjoyed all the 
happiness his bosom was yet capable of, in wit- 



C94 THB XUMXT. 

neasiiig the union of his daughter and Roderick, 
whom he had loved as Henrj Seymour, and 
now adored as the hero of Ireland. He gave 
Pauline a noble fortune, as his niece, and she 
married Edric ; who, in the absence of his bro- 
ther, took possession of his father^s wealth, 
and fixed his residence in his former dwelling, 
where, after all his troubles, Dr. Entwerfen 
found himself comfortably re-established in his 
ancient chamber ; whilst Clara, by becoming 
the bride of Prince Ferdinand, secured her own 
happiness. 

The coronation of Roderick and Elvira, as 
King and Queen of the United Kingdoms of 
Great Britain and Ireland, was superb, and 
far excelled that in which Elvira had pre- 
viously been an actress. Taught wisdom by 
experience, however, she no longer placed im- 
plicit reliance upon the shouts of applause 
which followed her footsteps; — yet, even with 
the reflection that all the promises she re- 
ceived might be evanescent, she could not re- 
sist the emotion of pleasure that swelled her 
breast, when, after the priest had pronounced 



THE HUMMr. 295 

the nuptial benediction, she walked with Rode- 
rick, the chosen of her heart, through a long 
line of kneeling subjects, and heard every 
mouth implore blessings on their heads, and 
bestow praises on her choice. 

Proudly did Elvira look around as she 
reached the entrance of Westminster Hall; 
yet, ere she entered it, a rush and bustle in 
the crowd attracted her attention, and a man, 
clad like a monk, threw himself before her. 
Elvira, screamed ; when the man throwing back 
his cowl, fixed his heavy eyes upon her, and 
exclaimed, " Do you not know me, Elvira ?^ 
It was Edmund. 

^' Alas ! alas !^' cried he, '^ the demcm was 
right; I trusted in my own strength, and I 
have fallen, miserably fallen. Though I knew 
it not, ambition was my god— and every thing 
else weighed lightly in the scale. Yet, even 
when my ambition was gratified, I was wretch- 
ed; for I loved you, Elvira, even whilst I 
plotted against you ; — ^and as my own heart re- 
proached me, I felt every wrong you suiFAied 
far more poignantly than you could yourself. 



296 THE XUMMT. 

My poor father too ! — but all is over now, and 
I am doomed to bitter expiation of my ans,— 
bitter indeed, for oh, how far beyond all other 
sufferings are the never-dying tortures of re- 
morse. One thought alone haunted my mind^-^v 
one image alone floated before my senses. I could 
not die till I had obtained your pardon. Pardon 
me then, Elvira ! See ! thus humbly at thy feet 
I implore thy forgiveness, crouching in the dust, 
and bending my neck to be thy foot-stool !^ 

^' Rise, I entreat you, rise T said Elvira ; 
** and be assured I forgive you— nay, that I 
pity you from my inmost soul.^ 

** She pities me !" cried Edmund ; " yet I 
can bear even this : even pity. And am I in- 
deed fallen so low as to be pitied ! Yes, yes, I 
am indeed to be pitied.'^ 

*• I did not mean to wound your feelings,^ 
returned Elvira, " believe me, Edmund. Tell 
me, what is there I can do for you ?^ 

** Nothing r cried he wildly ; " the world 
is nothing for me now. Pity that unhappy 
woman who was my wife ; and as for me, for- 
get me r 



THE MUMMY. 207 

** Never !^ said Elvira ; '* for never can I 
forget your disinterested love and your devoted 
afiPection. The heart, however^ is capricious; 
and mine, though sensible to your merits, was 
.destined for another.^ 

" And well does that other deserve your 
love; — ^for even jealousy itself must own that 
Roderick is worthy to be your husband. Yes, 
to him I can resign you. Farewell, Elvira! you 
shall never see me more ! Let my brother take 
my inheritance ! May you be happy I God bless 
you ! God bless you P' 

And starting from his knees, he disappeared, 
before she could reply. 

The spirits of Elvira were agitated by this 
event, which threw a damp over the remaining 
festivities of the day ; and, trembling and un- 
nerved, she proceeded to the magnificent hall, 
where a sumptuous banquet was prepared for 
her reception. For some days after this event, 
the attention of Roderick and Elvira was occu- 
pied in arranging the different affairs of the 
kingdom ; whilst Edric and Pauline, with the 
old Duke of Cornwall, M. de Mallet, and Father 

o 5 



f98 THE MUMMY. 

Murphy, retired to the house of the former in 
the country, where Dr. Entwerfen was already 
comfortably established. 

A thousand emotions swelled in the heart of 
Edric as he approached this venerable mansion, 
and saw agiun its well-known turrets peeping 
through the trees. Strange, indeed, are the 
feelings that oppress the mind, when the wan- 
derer returns, after a long absence, to the ha- 
bitation of his forefathers. A mingled crowd 
of contradictory sensations, of disappointed 
hopes, of imdefined fears, float through his 
fancy ; and, as well-remembered objects recal 
the visions which formerly delighted him, he 
starts at the difference the experience of their 
fallacy has made in himself, and he sighs in 
vain for a return of the blissful ignorance he 
formerly despised. All too appears changed ! 
As the human mind judges only by comparison, 
the eyes become dazzled by distant splendours, 
and that which to the eyes of youth had ap- 
peared superb, seems to the maturer judgment 
of manhood, tame, vapid, and insipid, — whilst 
the imagination which had fondly cherished the 



r4" 



THE MUllMr. 299 

favourite dreams of childhood, and decked them 
in all the vivid colours of fancy, feels disap- 
pointed and disgusted, though it scarce knows 
why, to find the reality so diiFerent from the 
image it had pictured to itself. 

• Such were the feelings of Edric as he entered 
the grand hall of this residence of his ancestors, 
and gazed upon the well-remembered faces of 
the crowd of servants assembled to meet him. 
At the head of these was Davis ; his tall thin 
figure waving to and fro, and his long white 
hair floating upon his shoulders ; and the more 
spruce and gallant aspects of Abelard and his 
devoted Eloisa, the late Mrs. Russel, who had 
blest him with the possessionof her fiur hand 
a few days before, and now stood blushing and 
simpering, with all the affected modesty of a 
bride of sixty, to receive the congratulations of 
those around her. 

" Welcome ! welcome, my dear Edric I'' cried 
Dr. Entwerfen, rushing down-stairs to meet 
them, his sleeves tucked up, and his wig thrown 
back, in a very experimental-philosophic man* 
ner ; '' rejoice with me too, for I have recovered 



SOO THE MUMMY. 

my balloon ! My darling caoutchouc bottle of 
inflammability ! My immortalizing snuff, and 
more than all, my adored galvanic battery ! 
Yes, my compendium of science, my epitome 
of talent, and my most inestimable treasure, is 
safe ! Not, indeed, that which was employed in 
galvanizing the Mummy, but its counterpart, its 
duplicate, its prototype. The Mummy came 
to England, and the balloon being recognized to 
be mine, it was placed in my apartment, where 
it has remained ever since, stowed up in safe, 
but inglorious obscurity, till my return.^' 

^' Och ! and that 's a clear case !'' said Father 
Murphy ; " and there's no doubt of it.*' 

Leaving the delighted doctor to show the 
treasures of his laboratory to M. de Mallet, 
Edric retired to his chamber, and after survey. 
ing again and again the well-known objects it 
contained, he hurried to his favourite grove. 

It is singular how inanimate objects, which 
have been long unseen, recal the thoughts and 
triun of feelings indulged in when one last be^ 
held them : thus, the house, the groves, the 
walks, the gardens, and the river, recalled all 



i 



THE MUMMY. SOI 

its former longings to Edric^s mind; and he 
again burnt to converse with a disembodied spi- 
rit, as he entered the grove where he had for- 
merly so often ruminated, and indulged dreams 
wild and improbable as the delusions of deli- 
rium. The day was beautiful; it was one of 
those bright glowing mornings in April, when 
dew drops hang upon every thorn, when the 
sun shines brightly through the clear pure air, 
and all nature seems awaking to new life and 
vigour from repose. 

Edric entered the grove, and threw himself 
upon that very bank where he had reclined 
only a few months before, under such different 
feelings. The river, the grove, the bank, were 
all the same ; he only was changed. " And 
yet,^ said he, ^' is not my mind still as un- 
settled as before.' Am I not still wandering 
in a labyrinth of doubts, unknowing where 
to turn; and yet tormented with a restless 
desire to discover my way? What can have 
become of the Mummy I so strangely re- 
suscitated? It is strange, that since the re- 
storation of Elvira it seems to have vanish- 



802 THE MUMMY. 

ed^ and yet all here speak of it as of a living 
animated being. Would that I could see it. 
O Cheops ! Cheops— "" 

Suddenly a strange unearthly voice seemed to 
murmur harshly in his ear — *^ Go to the Pyra- 
mid ! There and there only can thy hopes be 
gratified.^ Edric started upon his feet — ^no one 
was near him^ and not a sound broke the awful 
stillness which reigned around, save the gentle 
rippling of the river that flowed at his feet. He 
gaaed wildly on every side, hoping, yet fear- 
ing to behold the ghastly being he fancied 
his words had conjured up. It was in vain; 
no dark figure interposed between him and 
the clear bright sunshine; no gloomy shadow 
stretched along the plain; all looked gay as 
youth and happiness ; yet still that awful voice 
rang in his ears, and thrilled through every 
nerve. 

" I will go to the Pyramid,'*' cried he ener- 
getically ; ^' I will again enter that horrid 
tomb— -but I will go alone.*" 

In pursuance of this sudden, but irresistible 
desire, Edric hastily prepared to return to 



THE MUMMY. 303 

Egypt; and feigning that he was called to 
London by business of importance, to satisfy 
the anxious curiosity of Pauline, he departed. 
Indescribable emotions throbbed in his bosom 
as he took his seat in the stage balloon which 
was to convey him to Egypt ; but when he 
saw the towers and temples, and, above all, the 
pyramids of this mysterious country^ lying be- 
neath his feet, his agitation increased almost to 
agony. It was with infinite difficulty that he 
obtained permission again to visit the objects of 
his journey ; as, since the mysterious disappear- 
ance of the Mummy, the tomb of Cheops had 
been closed from mortal eyes. The interference 
of the British consul, however, at length obvi- 
ated all objections, and Edric (whose impatience 
had become absolute torture from the delay) 
once more entered that awful receptacle of 
fallen greatness. 

Scarcely a twelvemonth had elapsed since 
he had last trodden those solemn vaults, yet 
what a change had taken place in his destiny ! 
When he considered the number and variety of 
the events which had befallen him, he could 



804 THE MU2CHY. 

scarcely fancy it possible that they had been 
crowded into so short a space of time ; and, in- 
stead of a year, centuries seemed to have rolled 
over his head. His feeling of personal identity 
seemed confused — ^his senses became bewildered, 
and he mechanically followed his conductor 
almost without knowing whither he was going. 

At last the guide stopped — ** This is the 
tomb of Cheops," said he ; "I suppose. Sir, 
you will enter it alone,'' 

Edric started — the words of the guide seem- 
ed to ring in his ears as the knell of death, 
and he shuddered as the thought crossed his 
mind that some horrid and appalling punish- 
ment might even now await him for his 
presumption. Desperately he snatched the 
torch from the hands of his guide, and ad- 
vanced ^LONE. 

Darkly did those gloomy vaults seem to 
frown at his approach, and fearfully did his 
footsteps resound as he slowly penetrated into 
their deep recesses. At length, he reached 
the tomb, but the brazen gates were closed, 
and he attempted in vain to open them. He 



THE MUMMY. S05 

placed the torch upon the ground, and again 
tried to unclose the fatal portal; he exerted 
his whole strength, but still it resisted his ef- 
forts. Rendered desperate, he now threw him- 
self against the gates with almost superhuman 
force. Suddenly a hollow sound murmured 
through the cavern, and a current of wind 
rushed by with mighty and resistless fury. 
The brazen gates flew open with a fearful 
clang, and the torch fell and was extinguished. 
The next moment the sepulchral lamp shot 
forth a faint gleaming light, which brighten- 
ed by degrees into a steady flame, whilst hea- 
venly music sounded faintly upon the ear, dy- 
ing gradually away in murmurs, soft as those 
of the iEolian harp. 

The brilliant light of the lamp now glowed 
With noon-day radiance, and showed distinctly 
every comer of the fatal chamber, Edric look- 
ed timidly around, and shuddered as each well- 
remembered object met his eyes ; but what was 
his horror and surprise, when, glancing at the 
marble sarcophagus of Cheops, he beheld the 
gigantic figure of the Mummy standing erect 



806 THE MUMMY. 

betide it ! It was again simply wrapped in the 
gannents of the tomb, and its glassy eyes, rigid 
features, and statue-like form, chilled Edric to 
the heart. He looked at it a few mcxnents in 
silence, till it raised its arm and seemed about 
to address him ; when, shrinking back with in- 
describable horror, he uttered a faint shriek, 
and hid his face in his hands. 

" Why dost thou tremble ?*" asked the 
Mummy in a deep hollow voice which thrilled 
through Edric's very souL ^* Didst thou 
not come here to seek me, and dost thou shud* 
der to behold my form ? I am now before 
thee. Ask what thou wilt, I am permitted 
to reply. Why art thou silent ? Why does thy 
heart seem to wither in my presence? Alas! 
alas! is no mortal to be found free from the 
debasing influence of fear? Thou art called 
bold, courageous, and noble. Thou hast dared 
to soar above thy fellow-men, and thou hast 
ardently wished to see me. Behold ! I am here ; 
and now, weak, fearful, and inconsistent as thou 
art, thou shunnest my approach.^ 

^^ I do not shun thee,^ said Edric, remov- 



THE MUMMY. 307 

ing his bands, and endeavouring to look calm- 
ly on the fearful being before him, though the 
flesh seemed to quiver on his boncfs with the 
eflEbrt — " I do not shun thee ; but the nerves 
will shrink though the mind be firm. I did 
wish to see thee ; for ardently do I still desire 
to know the secrets of the tomb.^ 

Cheops burst into one of his fearful laughs. 
" Weak, silly worm ! are you not satisfied then ? 
How would this knowledge avail you? Has 
any thing but misery attended your former re- 
searches ? And can any thing but misery at- 
tend the knowledge you now covet? Learn 
wisdom by experience ! Seek not to pry into 
secrets denied to man ! If you wish still, how- 
ever, to be resolved of your doubts, behold 
me ready to satisfy them ; but, I warn you, 
wretchedness will await upon my words.^ 

'^ Then I no longer seek to hear them ; for, 
even weak as you esteem me, I can learn wisdom 
from experience. Thus, then, I tear the tor- 
menting doubts, which so long have haunted me, 
from my mind, and bid them farewell for ever P 

^^ It is well,^ said Cheops, his eyes beaming 



808 THE MUMMY. 

with joj, ^^ Then my task is accomplished. I 
have at last found a reasonable man. I honour 
you, for you can command yourself^ and now 
you may command me." 

" I wish it not;' said Edric. 

'^ Have you no curiosity ?" asked the Mum- 
my, with a ghastly smile. 

*•' None,'' returned Edric ; ** unless it be that 
I would fain know your history, and the mean- 
ing of the sculptures upon your tomb.'" 

" What are they ?*' demanded Cheops. 

'^ A youthful warrior is bearing off a beau- 
tiful woman in his arms, whilst an old man 
laments bitterly in the distance." 

** I was the warrior," said Cheops ; ^* and 
the beautiful female was Arsinoe. I loved her, 
and to gratify my impetuous passion, I tore her 
from the arms of her father by force.'* 

'^ The warrior is afterwards contending with 
the old man, who falls beneath his blows — ^ 

** He did, he did," cried Cheops ; ** he died 
by my hand ; and eternal misery haunts me for 
the deed." 

" And this old man was — " 



THE MUMMY. 809 

^' My father !" cried the Mummy, writhing 
in agony. 

" And Arsinoe was — ^ 

*^ My sister — ^my own, my beloved sister !" 

A solemn pause followed this speech, for 
Edric was too much shocked to speak again 
to the awful being who had avowed such crimes, 
and upon whose face were traced passions too 
horrible to be imagined. After a short silence 
Cheops again exclaimed — 

*' Yes, yes ; I see your horror, and it is just ; 
but think you that I do not suffer ? know that a 
fiend — a wild, never-dying fiend rages here,'' 
continued he, pressing his hand upon his breast. 
" It gnaws my vitals — it bums with unquench- 
able fire, and never-ceasing torment. Permitted 
for a time to revisit earth, I have made use of 
the powers entrusted to me to assist the good 
and punish the malevolent. Under pretence 
of aiding them, I gave them counsels which 
only plunged them yet deeper in destruction, 
whilst the evil that my advice appeared to bring 
upon the good, was only like a passing cloud 
before the sun; it gave lustre to the success 



810 THE MUMMT. 

that followed. My task is now finished; — 
be happy, Edric, for happiness is in your pow- 
er ; be wise, for wisdom may be obtained by 
reflection ; and be merciful, for unless we give, 
how can we expect mercy ? Rely not on your 
own strength— seek not to pry into mysteries 
dengned to be concealed from man ; and enjoy 
the comforts within your reach — ^for know, that 
knowledge, above the sphere of man's capacity, 
produces only wretchedness; and that to be 
contented with our station, and to make our- 
selves useful to our fellow-creatures, is the only 
true path to happiness.^ 

The Mummy ceased to speak, and his fea- 
tures, which had appeared wild and animated 
during his conversation with Edric, became 
fixed — the unearthly lustre that had flashed 
from his eyes, faded away, and gave place to 
a glassy deadness — ^his limbs became rigid, and 
as the light of the lamp gradually sunk to 
less distinctness, the ghastly form of the Mum- 
my seemed rapidly changing into stone. Edric 
felt that the moment when it was possible 
for him to hold communion with this strange 



THE MUMMY. 811 

being was rapidly passing away, and almost 
shrieked as he exclaimed, '^ One question ! 
only one ere it be too late.** The Mummy 
feebly raised his languid eyelids, but Edric 
felt his blood freeze at the unnatural glare. 
With a violent effort, however, he roused him- 
self to speak. *^ Was it a human power that 
dragged you from the tomb ?" 

^^ The power that gave me life could alone 
restore it/' replied the Mummy in slow mea- 
sured accents, as it sank gradually back into 
its former tomb. Edric shuddered, and in- 
voluntarily rushed forward, but the Mummy 
no longer lived or breathed. Cold, pale, and 
inanimate it lay, as though its sleep of three 
thousand years had never been broken. 

" Oblivion laid liim down upon its hearse !" 

and no mortal could ever more boast of hold- 
ing converse with The Mummy. 



THE END. 



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