The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXXIX THE MASQUERADE — SCENE. THE SECOND WE must now inform the reader of a circumstance which we did not choose to interrupt our narrative to relate before. This was, that while the Flower Girl was timidly hovering about the spot where Lord Montgomery had been posted, in the manner already related, her movements were observed and keenly, though cautiously, watched by two individuals in masquerade costume. One was a tall and somewhat portly man, of fine pro- portions and robust symmetry. He was attired in a Turkish garb remarkable for the richness of its material and the ele- gance of its ornaments; and his countenance was carefully concealed by a black satin mask. His companion, who was of shorter stature, was dressed in a black domino, and likewise wore a mask. These two persons had entered the theatre almost at the same time as the Flower Girl; and as the Turk was imme- diately struck by the winning grace and seductive elegance of her appearance, concealed though her features were, he had followed her amidst the mazes of the crowd, though at such a distance as to avoid exciting her suspicions. His com- panion in the black domino kept constantly a few paces in the rear; and whenever the Turk addressed a word to him, he received the communication with the profound deference of an inferior. From the first moment, we say, that they had caught sight of the Flower Girl, they had watched her motions, in order to ascertain whether she was altogether alone, or whether she had an appointment with some one for whom she was searching. They had seen her approach Lord Montgomery in the first instance, they had observed the 348 COnmmicbooolks (C(O)