The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

“THE EXPLOSION 31 duchess. “ But speak. What have youtosay? Hesitate not, fear not, but speak, I command you.” “Would it not be better,’ inquired Amy, turning her troubled looks from one to the other, “‘ if your Grace were to throw yourself upon his lordship’s merey — ”’ “ Amy, this is an insult,’ cried Lavinia, with all the dignity but distress of outraged innocence. ‘‘ There is some horrible misconception. Proclaim it at once, that I may speedily refute it.”’ “ Alas, madam,”’ said the young woman, who was amazed at the confidence with which the duchess spoke, but yet could not do otherwise than attribute it to a bold hardihood, “ appearances are indeed so much against your Grace — ”’ “ And those appearances?’’ demanded Lavinia, with mingled imperiousness and vehemence, so that the usually mild, gentle, and soft-speaking duchess appeared quite another being in the eyes of her dependent. “ Speak out, Amy,” cried the duke. “ If I must,’ resumed the lady’s-maid, “it is my painful duty to declare that I saw your Grace issue from the chamber of Mr. Stanhope — ”’ “ What? ” cried the duchess, the burning blush of indig- nation and outraged modesty in a moment suffusing her countenance, and then her looks in the space of the next half-dozen seconds indicated all possible varieties and transi- tions of excited feeling, — astonishment and distress, anger and bewilderment, uncertainty and terror. ‘‘ You dare say that, Amy? You to be guilty of such dreadful wickedness! It is false, — false as ever the vilest falsehood in this world could be.” “ It is true,” thundered the duke. ‘‘ For I myself beheld you with mine own eyes, as Amy herself did.” ‘“ I repeat,” cried the miserable duchess, now again com- pletely overwhelmed by the astounding nature of the charge, — “I repeat, and I call Heaven to witness that it is false! ”’ “ It is true — too true,” vociferated the duke, stamping his foot violently upon the carpet. “ It 1s false,’ exclaimed another person, who at this moment threw open the door and appeared upon the scene. It was Christian Ashton. The guilty Duke of Marchmont was for an instant stag- CONnNIELDOOKS (C(O)