The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

| THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. » 249 and the ex-bagman was enjoying a glass of brandy- Ma aA BF = | ae! nd ee ee ; ee. * Fy gazed upon her now, he would scarcely have be- and-water, of which his spouse occasionally took a | lieved that this was the same blooming, smiling, sip. This “worthy couple” had “ just dropped in” | happy creature who but comparatively a few weeks half-an-hour previously, ostensibly to inquire after | back had surrendered her virgin charms to his Octavia’s health and have a little chat with Pauline —but in reality with a treacherous and sinister in- tention, as will shortly transpire. Pauline was pale and care-worn; and although she endeavoured to appear as gay as possible in order to rally the spirits of her poor afflicted sister, and likewise for the purpose of treating Mr. aad Mrs. Page with the courtesy which she was willing to display in return for many apparent civilities and neighbourly attentions on their part, —there were nevertheless moments when she fell into a profound reverie and the expression of her eountenance denoted that the saddest thoughts were dominant in her mind. Octavia was much altered—Oh! so much, that had the Prince of Wales suddenly entered and 84 embraces. Three months and a half had only elapsed since the memorable evening when acci- dent first threw the royal voluptuary in the way of the beautiful sisters,—three months and a half since he first saw and desired Octavia Clarendon: and during that interval how much had taken place to change both her mental condition and her per- sonal appearance ! The charming freshness of youth,—with its peach-bloom upon its cheeks, its sunny brightness in the eyes, its willowy elasticity in the figure, and its graceful airiness in the footstep,—Oh! all this was gone ;—and Octavia, though still eminently beautiful and perhaps more interesting than ever, was but the shadow of her former self! Her cheeks had lost their plump fulness and their carnation CONMUCIIOW co