The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

A REVELATION 269 knowing how for some years — ever since the death of her mother — the earl had kept her in such privacy that neither he nor the countess had the slightest idea where she was until she was suddenly brought home in the manner already de- scribed, a painful suspicion in respect to his father’s integrity arose in the young nobleman’s mind. “Ts it possible,” he asked in a low and trembling voice, “that you have acted wrongfully toward that orphan daughter of your deceased sister? ”’ “What! do you think I have robbed her out of a fortune,” ejaculated the earl, sneeringly, ‘‘ when she never had a penny- piece of her own? Not I indeed. I never robbed anybody in my life, not so much as an umbrella from a friend, and umbrellas, you know, have ever been considered legitimate plunder.” P “Then what revelations are these to which you so am- biguously refer?’ inquired Adolphus, bewildered what to think. ‘You had better not ask me,” responded the earl, “‘ but like a good fellow marry Isabella offhand. We’ll have a sumptuous wedding, and I tell you what, — yes, I positively will, — I’ll have it down at the Bloomfield estate; all the ten- antry shall be invited. We'll have jumping in sacks, climb- ing up greasy poles, eating treacle-biscuits, and catching pigs with soapy tails. Useless indeed you prefer to have the wedding here —”’ “My dear father,” interrupted Adolphus, “ once for all do let me beseech you to explain the grave and important reasons which you seem to have for wishing these nuptials to take place.” “Well, if you are obstinate,”’ said the earl, “the truth must be told,’’ but he screwed up his face with the air of a man who had the prospect of no very agreeable task to perform. | “What on earth can it be?’’ demanded Adolphus, full of suspense, and yet this suspense was far from being so poignant as it would have been if he had a less frivolous and more stable-minded person to deal with. “Look you, Adolphus,” resumed the earl; ‘‘ suppose that by any accident all my estates at my death should pass away to your cousin Isabella? ”’ “ But, father, this is supposing an impossibility, unless I CORNICLOO@ SS (E©) im