The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

THE INTERVIEW 257 that there might be something more in it than a mere dream, especially as it had occurred on the very evening that the garden ramble was renewed. ‘The key is certainly here,’ he said to himself, ‘‘ and not for a moment would Makepeace remove it from its nail. I know the fellow is fidelity itself; I am too keen and shrewd to be deceived by any man’s countenance. No one could have purloined the key, because Makepeace always keeps my dressing-room locked. . But it is quite possible for that young scoundrel Ashton to have had a false key made. Perhaps he came of his own accord, hoping to see Isabella. Yes, it must have been so, for Adolphus could not possibly so far forget himself as to connive at such a proceeding. Very good, Master Ashton. So you will persist in looking after my niece, will you? We'll see if we can’t put a stop to it. I’m almost sorry I didn’t pounce upon him, but perhaps it is all for the best. I'll go to the magistrate in the morning, or I[’ll set a detective to watch. But no! there’s something better than that, and, by Jove! I'll do it.” Whatever this last idea might have been, it certainly seemed to tickle the silly old nobleman’s fancy very much, for he rubbed his hands and chuckled, grinning most ludi- crously at the same time, and putting on his nightcap with the fringe of false hair, he sought his couch. On the following day Lord Osmond, emboldened by the success of the previous evening’s adventure, called upon Christian to inform him that he might, if he thought fit, have another interview with Isabella, and our hero, who was en- thusiastically devoted to the charming girl, was only too willing to accept an offer which he believed to arise from the kindest and most disinterested feeling. During this same day, too, the Earl of Lascelles had a little private conversa- tion with the under-gardener, giving him certain instructions, and charging him to observe the strictest secrecy. This the man faithfully promised, — all the more readily, too, as the earl slipped a couple of guineas into his hand. The old noble- man, when in the presence of the family, suffered not his countenance to betray that there was any secret scheme which he was hatching, but nevertheless he was too full of it to be enabled to settle his mind to dictate to his son, and thus the proffered services of Adolphus were dispensed with. Indeed, so far as the memoirs were concerned, the ear! con- CONNIE OOOKS (FO)