The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 303: what you’re looking at

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

te TILE YOUNG DUCITES§; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY, 289 ii ial > >i fh I i x 1 = ; a ee! ns |i | ASS : | i ran) \ a) \y t AY bea i 1 \ ' —_—= a, | f | u it \ ~_ = \N NS WW SSS ESSN ~S a Ss SG a a yo fp ii NX pa ra — ee conclusion; and they passed into the bed-chamber, treading lightly as was their custom, in case the Dowager-Duchess should be asleep. A glance showed them that this was the case; and then, as they happened to cast their eyes towards the alcove, they were indeed little prepared for the horrible spectacle which was to appal their vision. For there lay the unfortunate woman, her face marble white, the bedclothes crimson with gore, and a knife sticking in her bosom! The alarm was quickly given; and it was Lavinia herself who rushed to the apartments of her young mistress, at the door of which she knocked loudly in the terrible excitement of her mind. The summons was almost immediately. answered by the young Duchess, who, unlocking her door, cried, ‘‘Good heavens! what is the matter, Lavinia? what has happened ?” No. 37.—THE Younc DucHEss ( wilt i Et i! bab pil i til i Nal et | hay } 4 E ; WAY . _ 4 Hl Wit “Oh, your Grace! something r.ble!” ‘ But tell me 7 ‘Mrs. Quinlan ‘What of her, Lavinia? For God’s sake tell me! Do not, do not keep me in this frightful suspense !” ‘« She—she—is murdered !” The young Duchess recoiled as if stricken a { sudden blow: she did not immediately answer ; and Lavinia uttered a cry, for she thought her mistress was about to faint. “‘Murdered?” the young Duchess then said. “Lavinia, are you in your senses ?” “Would. to heaven that it was only a dream, your Grace, and that I was mad ‘but for the moment! It’s all too true!—the poor woman is murdered !—miurdered in her bed !” horrible, hor- 8 ” — COMO oO : Colin