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.

136 THE COURT OF LONDON She looked back; the prince was standing, paralyzed with horror, in the spot where she had last seen him; and Mrs. Brace was leaning half-out of the trap-door, in a similar state of mind. Pursuit, then, was not to be dreaded, and, thrusting open the window, Rose Foster entered the chamber to which it belonged. No one was there, and the maiden passed on into a passage, whence she gained the staircase. This she descended, but not without some degree of alarm lest she should be taken for a thief and summarily treated as one ere she was allowed to offer a word of explanation. Confidence, however, gained upon her as she advanced without experiencing any molestation; and she had actually descended as far as the hall without meeting a soul, when she suddenly encountered an elderly woman, who proved to be a domestic in the service of the family occupying the house. To this female did Rose, in a few hurried words, state enough to enlist her sympathy; and, with an observation to the effect that ‘‘ she had for some time believed Mrs. Brace’s establishment to be no better than it should be,’’ the good woman hastily supplied the fugitive young girl with an old bonnet and shawl. Further than this her benevolence could not extend; but the gift was of infinite value to Rose at that moment and under such circumstances, and her gratitude was commensurate. Another moment, and the orphan emerged forth into Pall Mall, the good-natured domestic stationing herself upon the threshold of the door to watch that no molestation was offered from Mrs. Brace’s house adjoining. All was quiet, and the young girl escaped in safety from the neighbourhood where she had suffered so much per- secution and had endured such intense anguish. Penniless, houseless, friendless, Rose Foster sped away. And now the supernal courage which had hitherto sustained her throughout the incidents of her escape underwent a painful reaction, and an overpowering sense of oppression seized upon her. Her brain began to whirl, the ground ap- peared to tremble and rock beneath her feet, and the powers of memory failed her. She felt as if she were going mad; nor could she steady her ideas sufficiently to resolve in her mind what course she should adopt. Though ignorant of the atrocious treatment which Meagles and Melmoth had (C(O) ALG 6)(0)©)