The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXI THE DEED OF A NIGHT Apoupnuus and Ethel did not meet again until the evening, and this was at the dinner-table, where the earl and Isabella were present. But it would almost seem as if they had by tacit consent composed their looks in such a manner that not even to each other should there linger the slightest trace to remind them of the painful scene which had occurred a few hours back. The earl, as a matter of course, suspected not for an instant that Adolphus had acquainted Ethel with the astounding revelation in respect to his birth, and it was naturally Ethel’s policy and purpose to prevent her husband from surmising that any such revelation had been made to her. It is therefore easy to understand why she compelled - herself to converse and smile as gaily as heretofore, and to wear a look as if she were labouring under no restraint. In the same way it was the policy as well as purpose of Adol- phus to maintain his usual demeanour, so that the earl might believe him anxious to avoid the risk of showing the ladies by his looks that anything extraordinary had taken place. As for Isabella, she was inwardly sad at having been com- pelled by a sense of duty to pen that note to Christian Ashton to which we have already alluded, and not being versed in the arts of dissimulation, she could not outwardly conceal this mournful pensiveness. The dinner passed away, and when the ladies retired to the drawing-room, the earl accompanied them, — not from any particular motive, but merely because on this occasion he had no inclination to sit over his wine. Adolphus went out to take a short ramble by himself, for he again felt the necessity of giving way to his reflections. Thus the evening 279 COMMIC OO) Ss (E) im