The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 316: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. “To my lodgings, which are close by,” was the an- ewer, delivered in so calm and collected a voice and with such a reassuring manner that Camilla felt ashamed of her terror. “Poor people, my dear young jady, are obliged to dwell in strange-looking néigh- bourhoods,” added the woman... “ Alas! that is too true,” murmured the orphan, as she continued her way by her companion’s side, {n a few minutes the woman stopped in oneof the sombre streets—“opened a door with a latch-key—and said, “This is my abode, Miss: it is humble—but you are welcome.” . Camilla’s heart sank within her at the appearance of the place; and yet the woman's words and manner were kind, honest, and reassuring. Overcoming her seruples, therefore, by a desperate effort, and exerting all her power to stifle the suspicions that again sprang wp in her bosom, the young lady erossed the threshold —plunging as it were into the most pitchy. darkness. abscess shat the door, and requested Camilla 805 to wait one moment in the passage while she entered . an adjacent room to procure a light. The half minute which now elapsed seemed to the maiden a perfect age; and her apprehensions increased to such an ex- tent and with such rapidity that they rose into ideas of horror developing themselves in ghastly numbers But suddenly a light gleamed forth from the open door of the room—the woman re-appeared, with a candle in her hand—and the look which Camills threw upon her encountered so much placidity af expression on her pale and interesting features, that again were her fears dissipated in an instant, and again was she bitterly vexed with herself for entertaining suspicions which were most probably iujurious in the extreme to the female who was affording her a geae- rous hospitality. The candle revealed a small narrow passage with dingy walls and a staircase at the extremity ; and up this flight the woman led the way, Camilla now fol- lowing her with renewed comfllence, A saath bw Ne = —— a comicloooks. conn