The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 312: what you’re looking at

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

292 REYNOLDS’ WORKS of footsteps descending the stairs from the floor above that on which her own chamber ‘was situated. They were steps so light and airy that only the keenest sense of hearing could have caught them, and Christina felt convinced that the tread was the stealthy one of a person not wishing to be overheard. A vague terror seized upon her, for she all in a moment remembered that warning letter which Mr. Redcliffe had sent to the princess, and which her Highness had shown her about three weeks back. That letter, as the reader will remember, was to the effect that some evil-disposed persons might probably seek to inveigle Indora or the ayah Sagoonah into a snare, and as the pure-minded Christina was too un- sophisticated and inexperienced to be enabled to fathom the real significancy of Mr. Redcliffe’s allusion, her imagination naturally excited this vague terror which now seized upon her. She drew close toward the door, and listened with suspended breath. Again she caught the sounds of footsteps; they were now descending the lower flight, and in a few moments they ceased. She endeavoured to calm herself with the idea that it might be Sagoonah, or one of the other female servants, descending for some purpose, but if so, wherefore that evidently studied stealthiness of tread? as it was not so very late that the fear of awakening the house- hold need be entertained. Perhaps Christina was rendered somewhat nervous and apprehensive by having reflected on the mysterious murder of the Earl of Lascelles, and this impression being strong on her mind — together with the recollection, so vividly conjured up, of Mr. Redcliffe’s warn- ing letter — naturally filled her with vague misgivings and with a dread of some unknown danger. She opened the door gently, and again listened. All was now still. She thought of retiring to rest, but scarcely had she closed the door again when that mysterious terror came back with renewed force, and she felt that she could not possibly sleep, nor even lie tranquilly in her couch, unless she were reassured in respect to the safety of the premises. She remained at the door to listen if the footsteps would return, but a quarter of an hour passed, and all continued quiet. She thought of going to the princess’s chamber and telling her what she had heard, but then she reflected that if her apprehensions should prove groundless, she would feel humiliated and look foolish at having given way to such EORMICLOOOKS eo)