The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

THE DOCTOR’S SECRET 219 and here is another episode in that night’s’history. Behold, a young lady was arrested on the margin of the lake, between two and three o’clock in the morning, by a posse of police officers, who were lying in wait for the fishers of men, and who were suddenly alarmed by a splash in the water. The young lady was taken before the night-commissary, and to him she gave her name, Emma Owen. Her story was that she went out for a ramble, and that in a listless mood she flung a stone into the water. The magistrate ordered her to find bail. She accordingly sent for a linen-draper with whom she dealt, and he at once proceeded to the police station and entered into the required surety. He happens to be a cousin of mine, and hence my knowledge oi the transaction. I now leave you to judge, Mr. Loftus, for your- self, what Miss Emma Owen was doing at the side of the lake within two or three hours after the accouchement, and what that splash was which attracted the notice of the police officers.”’ “ Will you favour me with the name and address of this linen-draper? ”’ asked Loftus. ‘Heavens! I hope we are not going to have any exposure in all these things,’’ exclaimed Maravelli, now evidently frichtened. ‘‘ Remember that according to the laws of Geneva, it is branding with a red-hot iron and ten years’ imprisonment for any surgeon who privately and secretly assists in the accouchement of a woman, and who falls to have the birth, place, hour, and all particulars duly regis- tered. Besides, even 1f the authorities, out of consideration for a lady of the princess’s royal rank, should pass the matter over in silence, yet, were it merely whispered that I had in any way betrayed the confidence reposed in me, I should lose all the patronage whereby I live, and I might shut up my establishment at once.’’ “ Doctor Maravelh,” said Jocelyn, who had listened with the utmost attention to these remonstrances, ‘‘ rest assured that you shall not suffer on account of all this. I cannot explain to you my motives in penetrating into the affair, but you may be certain that no harm shall befall you. Now, then, the linen-draper’s name, and here is another hundred louis.”’ “Oh, you are too good, you are too generous,” said Maravelli, no longer thinking of the danger which had ere ‘S (C(O) im CORMG VO)!