The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

! — THE AUDIENCE AND THE LETTER — 257 ‘‘T crave pardon for this hesitation and delay on my part. Here is my card,”’ ‘“ Lady Prescott,’ said Agatha, as she glanced at the card which was now handed to her. ‘Then, as a sudden reminis- cence struck her, she turned toward the princess and whispered, “‘ This lady is not a fit character to be here. Your Royal Highness will doubtless remember that amongst the list of those who were present at the private theatricals at Carlton House last December — ’”’ ‘“ Ah! to be sure, I remember,’’ said her Royal Highness, “the name of Lady Prescott was amongst them. But is not this also the name of one of the ladies belonging to the queen’s household? ”’ “It is so, madam,” replied Agatha. Then, in a still lower and more impressive tone, she added, “ This lady comes from the camp of your Royal Highness’s enemies.” At this moment Emma bent down her head over the princess’s shoulder, and said, in a whisper, ‘* Lady Prescott is no longer in the queen’s household. I remember reading in the newspaper of her resignation some months ago, and of her being succeeded by Miss Arbuthnot.’ | “TI think also,’’ superadded Agatha, who had just been taking another brief but piercing survey of Lady Prescott, “| think that if her ladyship be not privately married, she at least ought to be.’’ “ Yes,”’ observed the princess, now fixing her eyes also with steadfastness upon Lady Prescott, ‘‘ beyond all doubt she ought to be married. But, oh, the English court, and those private theatricals at Carlton House,” and here her Royal Highness shook her head ominously. This hurried and whispered colloquy occupied but little more than a minute, during which Lady Prescott remained standing at a distance of about four yards from the garden seat where the princess was placed, and though she caught not a syllable of what was uttered, she nevertheless was at no loss to understand that the earoatinne thus covertly passing concerned herself. Not, however, that she for a moment suspected her actual condition was descried. She had flattered herself that her pregnancy was imperceptible with the dress which she wore and the appliances of art she had put in requisition to conceal her shame. But the keen eyes of Agatha, who had passed. through all that process of CORNICLOOL! “S) (CO) im