The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

MR6. VIPZIMRSERT. threshold, into the building. His arms were im- mediately thrown out and swept cautiously around : end his hands encountered first the massive bal- losters of an antique staircase— then the steps themselves, covered with a thick earpetting. To @scertain these points was the work of one mo- ment: to stand aside, gather himself up into the smallest compass, and hold his very breath while the lady and Florime! passed him by, were the in- cidents of the next moment. The unknown paused to close and fasten the @oor; and she then conducted Florimel up the staircase. Rao followed—the piitchy darkness fa- vouring his design, and the thick of the stairs to the security of his tread. With his hands he felt his way: and keen as the scent of an Indian on the trail of anenemy, did he main- tain — those whom he was following and = EE AT. 2 a =e TS aye aE once we ap iy = himself a distance precisely suitable to his purpose, —neitherapproaching too near so asto incur the chance of running upon their heels, nor yet getting 80 far in the rear as to be unable to catch them up in time to enter the boudoir of darkness, love, and mystery, along with them. And this latter aim was accomplished! Yes— no sooner did the unknown lady and Florimel stop short in the passage to which the stairs led, than Rao was on all fours at their very foct ;—then, the instant that the door was thrown open, the sablo page glided in su stealthily—so silently—so speedily, that no spectre could have passed by more imper- ceptibly ;—and thus ere the door was even closed again and secured within, the lithe and subtle Rao was ensconsed behind the heavy window-curtains of that chamber where the atmosphere was warm and perfumed ! (CO DOO (CO