The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

CONCLUSION OF HISTORY OF SELLIS 73 room and read the letter which accident had placed in his possession. I will now show you that document itself.” ‘What, the very letter! ’’ exclaimed Mrs. Arbuthnot, in astonishment. ‘“ Is it in your possession? ” “It is,’ was the Honourable Mrs. Bredalbane’s reply. Then rising from her seat, she fetched her writing-desk from a side-table, and producing a number of papers, searched. amongst them for the required document. This she soon found, and taking it from the envelope in which it was carefully preserved, she handed it to Mrs. Arbuthnot. The writing was in the peculiar cramped hand characterizing foreign penmanship. The lines had evidently been traced under circumstances of considerable excitement, and there was every sign to prove that the letter was merely a draught whence a fair copy was to be made, as there were many erasures, corrections, and interlineations. Indeed, it was by no means an easy task to decipher the writing at all, but at length, with Mrs. Bredalbane’s assistance, Mrs. Arbuthnot was enabled to make out the contents in the following manner: ‘For my own sake, I must declare that it was through no motive of impertinent curiosity I entered the room just now. Indeed, I had not a suspicion that aught of evil was goingon. But, heavens! what did I behold? Yourself and the Princess Augusta in each other’s arms, leaving not a doubt as to the criminality of the scene. I am amazed, astounded, horrified. I know not what to do. Without any affectation of sickly sentimentalism, I may be permitted. to declare myself a lover of virtue. At all events, my ideas of propriety are such that I have experienced a shock which will never be forgotten. I have dissembled my feelings in the presence of my wife, in the presence of Joux also. I have endeavoured to be calm, but it was the external surface of the volcano, while the fire was agitating within. I am incapable of concealing the true state of my feelings much longer. Henceforth, whenever I might see you, whenever I might behold the Princess Augusta, and whenever, too, I might hear your names mentioned, my countenance would. betray the fact that in the deep caverns of my soul a dread. secret was deposited. If questioned, especially if pressed by my wife, what could Isay? Subterfuge, falsehood — no, no! I hate untruth. Besides, I could not make all the rest of my (CO) nn) GDoOo <Si inn