The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

118 THE COURT OF LONDON so far as I am concerned.» But it seems to me, madam, that you must have been a party to the trick which was ere now so recently carried to a successful issue in regard to myself? : “No, no, my lord, I protest that I am innocent in that respect,” exclaimed the wretched milliner. ‘‘ Oh, horror! how he raves, how he writhes, how terribly he is convulsed! But you must not accuse me, Florimel, you must not accuse me of treachery toward you. I was deceived as well as your- self — ”’ “I would rather think so, after all our former friendship,” interrupted the nobleman. “ But in God’s name ring the bell again, or I will endeavour to burst open the door — ”’ At that instant footsteps were heard hastily ascending the stairs, the door was thrown open, and a couple of the milliner’s * servants burst into the room. They had been alarmed by the violent pealing of the bell which rang down in the kitchen; and hence the coming of two footmen at the same time to answer the summons. Lights were speedily procured, and then the appalling condition of Frederick Dray confirmed all the horrible ideas which the nobleman and Mrs. Brace had previously conceived of the agonizing nature of the throes that were convulsing him. His eyes glistened with an unnatural lustre, his countenance was ghastly, his features were distorted, all the muscles of his throat seemed painfully distended, and strong spasms, shooting every instant through his entire form, made him writhe, and tremble, and shudder in awtiul agonies. “This spectacle is more than I can endure,” exclaimed Florimel, dreadfully shocked and profoundly alarmed at a sight which he could not understand; and, hastening from the room, he quitted the house. Mrs. Brace scarcely noticed his abrupt departure so fevered was her impatience to get Dray removed at once to a bedchamber in order that she might dismiss the footmen from further attendance on the occasion. For when that paroxysm of anguished gaspings and spasmodic convulsions in the throat subsided for a few moments at intervals, the wretched sufferer gave vent to the wildest language and the most insane ravings, mingled with sounds that resembled the barking of a dog; and Mrs. Brace was tortured with excruciating apprehensions lest in his delirious outpourings CONNIE IOOKS (E@) m