The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

THE AUDIENCE AND THE LETTER 261 “ Ves,” interjected Julia, ‘‘ and you recollect, too, how I was compelled to remain behind you in Paris, through illness, and what dreadful things I learned in addition to all you had previously heard — ’’ “Well, my dear girls,’ interrupted the princess, ‘“ you can set your minds at rest by the reflection that Mr. Loftus does not appear to be forthcoming to seek an audience at my hands. How Lady Prescott could have become the bearer of a letter which it was evidently intended for him to deliver is a mystery beyond all conjecture.” “ Who knows,” said Agatha, ‘‘ but that this Lady Prescott is the mistress of the adventurer Loftus? Your Royal High- ness may rest assured that he has imposed by some means upon the Princess Sophia, worked upon her credulity, and by his specious tales, as plausible as they are false, induced her to give him that letter of introduction to your Royal Highness? ”’ ‘There is a mystery about all this,” remarked the prin- cess, a gradual uneasiness arising in her mind, and vague suspicions slowly developing their shadows around her like undefined phantoms dimly seen. ‘‘I know not what to think. From all I have heard, the impression made upon my mind relative to Mr. Loftus is certainly of no favourable nature. But then my sister-in-law’s letter, so energetically, so emphatically worded, warns me against being dis- suaded from seeing him. What does the baron think of all this? ”’ | Thus speaking, she abruptly turned toward Bergami, who, in his usual mood of intellectual pensiveness, had remained all along a silent witness of the whole scene which we have been describing. But he had lost nothing, neither deed nor word, for even when the young ladies were whisperingly directing the princess’s attention to Lady Prescott’s condi- tion, the baron, placed where he was, could not help over- hearing all that was said. “What is your opinion, I ask,’ repeated the princess, ‘upon all these matters? ”’ “ Your Royal Highness is aware that whenever my senti- ments are desired, I invariably give them frankly and candidly.’’ Such was Bergami’s reply, delivered in a tone replete with the musical mildness of courtesy, but with the accentuation of a manly decision. ) ECORNICLOOKS (C(O) im