The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. close vicinage of St. James’s Square, upon which, be it resoembered, a portion of Mrs. Brace’s esta- blishment looked, and into which Rose had descended on the night of her escape from the Prince of Wales. Upon reaching Mrs. Piggleberry’s house in Jermyn Street, the trembling girl learnt with a profound satisfaction that Mr. Meagles was at home and also disengaged. But even while she was ascend- Ing the stairs to his apartment, a misgiving sprang up in her mind—for she thought that if Melmoth’s suspicions, or rather representations concerning bim, were indeed accurate to the letter, she was encounter- ing a peril that might prove fatal to her honour and her happiness in this world. She stopped short for a Mmoment—she was even inclined to turn back sud- denly and beat a precipitate retreat from the house: but the countenances of Melmoth’s famished wife and ehildren presented themselves to her imagination —and she continued her way up the stairs, Mrs, Piggleberry guiding her. 44 . a ee eee ee 845 A door was thrown open—and in another moment the young maiden found herself in the presence of Tim Meagles. Starting from the chair in which he was lounging —tossing into the fire the cigar which he was smok- ing—and almost upsetting the bottle of claret which he had commenced, Meagles bounded towards her, exclaiming, “ Miss Foster ! is it indeed yon? Thank God tha: we have met again !” The pressure which he gave her hand in both his own was as warm and cordial as his words were fer- vent and welcome; and as he led the maiden to a seat, she felt convinced in her own mind that Mea- gles must have been calumniated to Melmoth, who had misjudged his character accordingly. “Sit down, Miss Foster—compose yourself—you are agitated—you are pale—but you have nothing to fear in this house,” exclaimed Meagles, giving rapid utterance to these assurances. “J know that you have been persecuted—but I thank God that I see COMIGLOO SS COMM