The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847. Excerpt: ... THE CONFESSIONS OF A FELON. (Continued from p. 156.) You are staunch, Chevalier, or twenty years' unremitting study of character is lost upon me (said my fair companion.) But, before I speak further, you must swear, by my oath, to keep my secret. With these words she reached down a bible. My brain was on the rack to acquire the promised mine of wealth, and following her in the utterance of one of the most appalling oaths that tongue ever repeated, I swore endless misery to my soul if ever I betrayed the secret with which she was about to entrust me. And now (I exclaimed, almost wrought up to frenzy), speak it, Baroness. She answered me with a peculiar smile; walking to the door of the boudoir, she touched a spring bolt, which secured it; she then walked before a splendid looking-glass, of which there were several with gilt framework let into the tapestry. This is a fine glass, my dear Chevalier--is it not? she exclaimed, as if taking a survey of her stately and finely-rounded figure.' The reflection is worth a million glasses (I observed, as I kissed her hand)--but the secret-- Will soon be disclosed. Saying which, she pressed upon the gilt moulding, and to my infinite astonishment the glass swung slowly round with the wainscoating, disclosing a narrow dark aperture with a flight of step?. I had started back in astonishment. What is the meaning of this? Follow me, and see; you are expected. Saying which, the Baroness bade me follow her, which I did down a long and narrowflight of thick carpeted steps through a passage which was immersed in cimerian darkness. At length I heard, the faint tinkle as of a distant bell. The next moment a flash of light glimmered like lightning in the darkness. It proceeded from the opening of a door, through whic...