The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 364: what you’re looking at

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

342 REYNOLDS’ WORKS he answered, “‘ I warned her, my lord, — yes, I warned her; I considered it to be my duty. She defended herself, and it was —”’ But he stopped short, for he was just upon the point of adding something the bare idea of which struck him as fearful to a degree, considering the person to whom he was thus speaking. ‘‘ Finish your sentence, and deal with me frankly,” said Bertram. “I have particular reasons for the questions which I am now putting, and for those which I may yet have to put.” “No, my lord, I cannot, I cannot,’’ murmured the old man. ‘Purvis, I beseech you, — nay, I implore and entreat, by all the misery I have endured — ”’ “Well, my lord, it was with a certain weapon— Ah! , for Heaven’s sake do tell me — do, for God’s sake justify the wild hope which thrills in my heart. Say the one word which shall make me believe that it was not your hand — ”’ ‘‘ Purvis, give not thus way to your feelings,” interrupted Lord Clandon, ‘‘ but for Heaven’s sake be calm and collected. I understand you. That Eastern lady defended herself with a certain weapon. But how came it in her hand? Tell me, Purvis, I conjure you, tell me everything.” Purvis proceeded to explain, but with many self-interrup- tions and impassioned ejaculations, as various thoughts were excited in his mind in rapid succession, — how Indora had arrived at Oaklands, how he had escorted her over the mansion and through the grounds, how she had questioned him much in respect to the long-past tragedy, how he had shown her the fatal weapon, which he had preserved, how she had so mysteriously and stealthily possessed herself of it, how ere her departure she had restored it to the place where it was kept, how the Duke of Marchmont had ques- tioned him on the subject, and how they had gone together to the cabinet to ascertain whether it was there, when the wax light was so suddenly dashed from his Grace’s hand. During this recital, Bertram was frequently compelled to encourage the old man to proceed, to soothe his excited feelings, to check him when he sought to become the questioner, and to induce him to extend his explanations to those details of Indora’s ramble to particular spots which COMME NOOKS Coy