The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

THE DUKE 301 to consent. He is dotingly fond of Zoe; she assures me that nothing can exceed his love for her, and she would be completely happy were it not for this nervous illness of hers.’’ After a little more conversation, Mr. Armytage took his leave, and when he was gone, the duke, on examining his banker’s book, experienced the most bitter vexation on finding that the cheque which he had promised to give on the morrow would considerably overdraw his account. The duke’s credit was however good, and consequently there was no difficulty in the way of his compliance with Mr. Army- tage’s exorbitant demand. On the following day, at about eleven in the forenoon, Madame Angelique, apparelled in her plainest garb, pro- ceeded to Bayswater, and walked about in the neighbour- hood of the princess’s villa. She presently saw Mark, the faithful intendant or majordomo of the household, issue from the dwelling; she pretended to be walking toward the main road, with the air of a person who had a settled and legitimate object in view, and thus she watched him until he entered an omnibus. When the vehicle was out of sight, she retraced her steps toward the neighbourhood of the villa, and in a few minutes she beheld Sagoonah in the garden. Approaching the fence, she gave a peculiar cough, which at once reached the ayah’s keen ear, and the latter proceeded toward a spot where, shrouded from the view of the windows of the dwelling, she could converse with Madame Angelique. ‘‘ Your mistress has returned,” she said to the ayah, “ has she not? ” “‘ Yes, she came back the day before yesterday,” replied Sagoonah. ‘‘ What was done? ” “Not that which we anticipated,” rejoined Madame Angelique. ‘‘ Your mistress possessed herself of a dagger, and so terrified the duke that he fled away from her presence.” “Then your duke,” answered Sagoonah, her superb eyes flashing fire and her vermilion lips wreathing with ineffable scorn, “ was a poor, paltry coward. Why do you seek me again? ” she demanded, almost fiercely. “Has the Lady Indora said nothing to you in order to account for her absence? ” inquired Madame Angelique. “ Nothing,” replied the ayah. ‘It is not probable that a great lady such as she is would enter into familiar discourse with her slave on a subject she would of course rather avoid.” ECORNICLOO SS) (CO)