The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

THE CATASTROPHE 247 said the landlord, with the air of a man who had some dis- agreeable tidings to impart. ‘ Know what? ’’ demanded Brockman, in amazement. ‘“‘T am sorry to say,” was the rejoinder, “‘ that I have got very bad news to tell.”’ ‘Bad news? Speak, what do you mean?” — ‘“T mean, unfortunately, that Leveson House was burned down last night.” ‘“‘Heavens!’’ ejaculated Brockman. ‘‘ But were any lives lost? ”’ ‘‘ Tt is feared so,’’ answered the landlord. ‘ But I heard no particulars. There are a few lines in this morning’s paper about it, but very little, indeed, and no details. The guard of one of the London and Dover coaches told me this morn- ing, as he passed on his way down, that there was a rumour up at the West End that the marquis himself, a lady, and two or three of the servants had been burned to death, but he wasn’t sure.” Brockman waited to hear no more, even if the landlord had anything further to say, but hastening up to the car- riage window, the valet communicated to Lord Algernon Cavendish the intelligence he had just received. ‘‘Oh, my poor sister! ’’ exclaimed the young nobleman, clasping his hands in despair. ‘‘ For God’s sake, tell the hostlers to make haste. Lavish gold, Brockman, upon the postilions. Suspense is intolerable.”’ ‘“ All ready!’ at this moment exclaimed the landlord. Brockman hastened to give some instructions to the postilions, promising them liberal rewards if they sped like the wind, and then having mounted to his seat upon the box, he exclaimed, “ All right!’’ and away dashed the equipage toward the metropolis. It would be difficult to describe the agonies of suspense which Lord Algernon Cavendish experienced during the three-quarters of an hour which elapsed until the vehicle reached the corner of Albemarle Street. But in the mean- time we will avail ourselves of the opportunity to state incidentally that Brockman and John, while waiting on the pier at Dover for the sailing of the vessel which they had hired to convey them across to France, were agreeably sur- prised on beholding Lord Algernon Cavendish land from a sailing-packet that arrived at the time from Calais. On (C(O) nn) Gnoo <Si nin