The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRINCE AND THE ORPHAN 137 experienced at the hands of the government, she thought not of visiting the abode of either; but she hurried on, on, through the maze of the metropolis, intent only on placing as great a distance as possible between herself and the neigh- bourhood in which Mrs. Brace dwelt. The sun went down, darkness fell upon the earth, and still the unfortunate girl wandered on like one demented. At length she gained the open fields, and she was glad. But now memory began to assert its empire and her thoughts gradually grew more settled. A consciousness of her true position came upon her with overwhelming force, and, while sinking with fatigue, she saw that she was houseless, penni- less, foodless. Then did she recollect Meagles and Melmoth; and bitterly, bitterly did she blame herself for not repairing at once to either of them so soon as she escaped from the milliner’s house. It began to rain, and she looked through the darkness for some light that should guide her to a place of shelter. A gleam appeared at a short distance on the left, and thither- ward she bent her steps. But the light speedily vanished, and on reaching the spot whence it had shone, she found herself close by a large building in process of erection. Exhausted alike in mind and body, the unhappy girl dragged her weary limbs within the circuit of the walls; and, having discovered a nook which would at least protect. her from the rain, she sank down there, enshrouded by total darkness. CORNUC } KS) \