The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

THE AUDIENCE AND THE LETTER 259 on her right hand, Emma, Julia, and Bergami took their stations behind their royal mistress. Nothing was now said during the couple of minutes which elapsed ere the page reappeared, escorting the visitress thither. But during that brief interval her Royal Highness once more perused the note which she still held in her hand, while Agatha hastily collected all her ideas and summoned all her presence of mind to her aid, for she felt convinced that some scene requiring no ordinary artifice, ingenuity, and duplicity was now at hand. The moment the page was again seen advancing, all eyes were fixed upon the lady who accompanied him, and Agatha as well as her sisters at once perceived that every chance of being enabled to throw upon her the slur of a begging-letter impostress was gone. For she was not only handsomely dressed in half-mourning, but her whole appearance indi- cated the well-bred, elegant lady in good circumstances. On approaching the princess, she raised her veil and revealed a handsome countenance, whose beauty was enhanced at the moment by the glow which the excitement she now experienced conjured up to her cheeks. The princess instantaneously fancied that those features were not alto- gether unknown to her, but beyond this she had no defined and positive recollection of the lady. As for Agatha and her sisters, they were totally unacquainted with her, but the quick glances they flung upon her as she accosted their royal mistress seemed intended to pierce her through and - through. Lhe page, having conducted the visitress into the presence of the Princess Caroline, withdrew to a distance, beyond ear-shot, so as to be ready to show her out again from the garden when the interview should be ended. The lady made a courtly obeisance as she approached the princess, and then stood waiting to be spoken to before she herself ventured to breathe a word. Indeed, her whole manner, conduct, and bearing at once proved that she was accustomed to the etiquette of royal circles. “I have read your note, madam, with the greatest atten- tion and interest,’’ began the princess, with a voice and mien alike affable and encouraging. ‘‘ You say that you have a letter? ’’ ‘In the first place, may it please your Royal Highness,” GOMIGOOO ‘Ss (C(O) mM