The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

THE DOCTOR’S SECRET 221 her hand, but he could not help saying, “‘ I am afraid you are very ill? ”’ ‘““T do indeed feel more severely to-day than I did last night the effects of my rash and wicked attempt at self- destruction,’’ answered Mrs. Roberts, “‘ but I shall be better to-morrow. I promised you last night that I would repair to-day to the villa, and endeavour to obtain an interview with her Royal Highness, but I am afraid I must postpone this visit until to-morrow, when I shall no doubt be better. Indeed, unless you are very impatient, I can faithfully promise you that to-morrow your letter shall be delivered to her Royal Highness.”’ “T could not think of pressing you to undertake a task for which you are evidently so unfitted to-day,” said Jocelyn. He then proceeded to inform Mrs. Roberts how he had succeeded in worming out of Doctor Maravelli so many important secrets connected with the villa, but when he mentioned the names of Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith as those of the two Englishmen who had-hired Kobolt and his gane to carry off the two females to Lausanne, he noticed that Mrs. Roberts became much affected. She trembled violently and burst into tears. Then, remembering all she had said on the preceding night relative to her faithless lover and one of the Misses Owen, it instantaneously struck him that either Smith or Thompson was the feigned name under which that noble seducer of hers had travelled on the Continent. “TI see that you have divined what is passing in my thoughts,” she said, gazing upon Jocelyn through her tears. ‘And now I can full well understand that it becomes im- - portant for you to ascertain all that you can relative to that intrigue between my faithless lover and Julia Owen.” “It is indeed of importance,” said Jocelyn, ‘“‘ because from all that I told you last night it is probable that, faithful to the vile mission which they have received from the arch- conspirators in London, these Owens have managed to throw the guilt, the scandal, and the dishonour of their profligacy upon the princess. It is important, then, as you will see, madam, that I should glean every possible evidence to prove that profligacy on the part of either or all of those Misses Owen.”’ CORNICLOOL 5} (C(O) Mm