The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

70 THE COURT OF LONDON I have to give are of a very serious character, I can assure ou.” . “But I am in no humour for serious discourse, Mr. Loftus,” said Agatha, in a tone of vexation; and as the blood rushed to her cheeks, she bit her lip nervously. ‘When I tell you, Miss Owen, that I am acquainted with your sister Mary,’ observed Jocelyn, ‘ you will perhaps condescend to listen to me.” “Ah!” ejaculated the young lady; and, the keenest interest being suddenly excited in her mind, she mechanically drew the kerchief over her shoulders, as if abandoning, at least for the moment, her wanton designs upon Loftus. ‘Yes, I have seen Miss Mary Owen,” he continued, ‘‘ and she has told me all—everything. It was by no accident that I fell in your way at Calais, and that I became your travelling-companion to Paris. I purposely sought the opportunity to form your acquaintance, in the hope of being enabled to point out to yourself and your two sisters the lasting dishonour that will attach itself to your name if you persevere in the course where the most fatal influences have placed you. For if you regard the matter in its true light, you will perceive — you cannot fail to understand, indeed,’”’ he added, emphatically, “that you are taking part in a shocking conspiracy to ruin the peace and destroy the character of a lady who has never injured you. I allude to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.” ‘‘ Heavens! that little traitress, Mary, has indeed be- trayed us,’ cried Agatha, now seriously alarmed, and totally losing sight of all the sensuous thoughts which a few minutes before were uppermost in her imagination. “ But where is she, Mr. Loftus? How came you to fall in with her? ”’ “The day after she quitted you at Woolwich, Miss Owen, did I encounter your unhappy sister in the streets of London; and you may rest assured that she is not only in a place of safety, but also in honourable companionship. I am com- paratively a stranger to you,’”’ added Jocelyn, with some little significancy; ‘‘ but I leave you to determine whether from the first moment of our acquaintance, the day before yesterday, you have seen aught in me that would warrant a suspicion against my principles and my honour. I am young,” he continued, ‘‘ perhaps too young to undertake ECONNIEOOO KS (E(o)