The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 363: what you’re looking at

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

346 REYNOLDS’ WORKS “A dragon you might have said,’’ replied Marchmont, bitterly, ‘‘ for when I found my way to her chamber, she brandished a dagger in my face,’’ and again did an expression of ghastly horror sweep over his countenance. “Well, my lord,’ said Madame Angelique, almost con- temptuously, “‘ and were you not prepared for resistance? What! you, a man, to be frightened at a dagger in the hands of a woman? ”’ “ Perdition take you, old beldame,”’ vociterated the duke, fiercely; ‘‘ how dare you make your insolent remarks upon my conduct? ”’ ~“T erave your Grace’s pardon,” cried Madame Angelique, with an air of frightened humility. “ I only fancied that I had prepared your Grace sufficiently to expect some degree of resistance — ”’ ‘Silence, and listen,’ interrupted the duke, sharply; then with another attempt to affect a gay and hilarious — mood, he burst out into a laugh, saying, “ Come, my dear madam, I was only jesting. I did not mean to offend you, but your good wine has put me into such spirits, ha, ha!” and there was sickliness and feebleness in his forced merri- ment. ‘Well, my lord, the scheme failed, no matter how. But why — why,” asked Madame Angelique, urgently, “ has it affected you thus? ”’ ‘There is a mystery which must be cleared up,’ was the duke’s response, “and you alone can undertake the task. Indora had some ulterior motive which you never penetrated. She is not the credulous, inexperienced creature you take her for. She had some design in going to Oaklands, and what that design was you must discover. A thousand guineas if you succeed, but if you fail, you shall never again see me cross your threshold. This is plain English; do you comprehend it? ”’ “T do, my lord, but I am perplexed and bewildered,” and the woman’s looks justified her words. ‘‘ What earthly motive could the lady have had — ” “That, I tell you,” exclaimed the duke, passionately, “is what you must find out. While this lady was at Oak- lands, she was asking a thousand questions, prying into all sorts of things, troubling herself with matters which one would have fancied to be scarcely known to her at all, — Gomichbooks (E(0) am |