The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

228 THE COURT OF LONDON “Came from Italy, through Savoy — supposed to be keeping on the track of the English princess and her retinue — is known to be an English nobleman of high rank, the Earl of Curzon — travelling with passport made out in name of Smith — believed to have no political aim or object — mere affair of gallantry — plenty of money — lives in closest seclusion — seen loitering near the villa— frequent ap- pointments with some lady dwelling there — the police spy, set to watch, unable to discover who the lady is — dared not venture close enough — the earl observed to seale the garden wall — passed whole nights at the villa — opinion confirmed that it is a mere intrigue of gallantry — no notice to be taken — not to be interfered with — departed without leaving any debts.” Having ascertained these particulars, which, we should observe, were rendered as complete as possible by means of specific dates, Jocelyn Loftus took his departure from the town hall, and reéntering the hackney-coach, he ordered it to drive to the neighbourhood of the lake. While proceeding thither, he reflected on all the details he had just gleaned from the secret registry of police. The self-styled Mr. Thompson was Colonel Malpas, and Mr. Smith was the Earl of Curzon. It was the Earl of Curzon, then, who was the faithless lover of Mrs. Roberts. But how completely identical appeared to be the objects which those two individuals had in view while visiting the Continent! Both were secretly following in the track of the Princess of Wales; each was intriguing with a lady in her household. That the earl’s affair of gallantry was with Julia Owen, Loftus was already aware. Considering, then, everything he knew concerning the Misses Owen, was it not natural to infer that another of the sisters was the object of Malpas’s intrigue? And in pursuance of the detestable mission which those girls had received, was it not probable enough that, while gratity- ing their passions on the one hand, they at the same time, on the other hand, artfully contrived to throw all the scandal of their amours upon the princess? Were not they guilty, and was not the princess innocent and unsuspecting? Such were the conclusions to which Jocelyn naturally came, and the reader does not require to be informed how correct those surmises were. But while thus pondering on the details he had gleaned from the secret registry of police EORMIELNOO KS (E(0)