The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXV MALDEN FARM Ir was now about five o’clock in the evening, and the breeze, laden with the perfumes of May, came with a delight- ful freshness after the sultry heat which had previously prevailed. Having ascended a hill, the sides and summit of which were embowered with the richest emerald foliage, the travel- ling-carriage proceeded at a more rapid rate along the narrow by-road which it was pursuing; and at a distance of about two miles from the village, a small but neat-looking cottage, standing in a lonely spot, was passed by. ‘“* That is the abode of the Austins,” said the Marchioness of Bellenden to Margaret, who was seated inside the carriage along with her noble mistress. “‘ I wonder how Richard ‘has succeeded with them.” ‘‘ Better, I hope, than I did with old Chapman,” responded ‘Margaret. ‘‘ But perhaps Richard is still there,” she added, looking forth from the window of the vehicle. ‘‘ And yet Ido not see the chaise which he hired from the landlord of the Bellenden Arms, and there is no mene or out-house where it could be put up.” ‘“* We may therefore conclude that he has seen the Austins and gone on post-haste toward Congleton,” said the mar- ‘chioness. ‘‘ But, alluding to Chapman, you need not feel vexed, my dear Margaret, that you were unable to succeed in that quarter. We have plenty of evidence, Heaven knows, without him. And yet,’ she added, in a mournful voice, “IT shall derive but comparatively little pleasure from the fact of securing to myself the safe and undisputed possession of these estates, since he whom I love so madly, so passion- ately, so fervidly, can never be mine. No, it were useless to 215 Gomme boo gs} (C(O)