The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

THE AUDIENCE AND THE LETTER — 263 by the kindest possible motives when she wrote that letter which was ere now delivered to me.”’ Agatha, Emma, and Julia, being thus released from attendance on their royal mistress for the next three or four hours, withdrew to one of their own chambers, to deliberate upon the scene which had ere now taken place in the garden. The moment they were alone together, Agatha produced the envelope which she had picked up and retained, for at the time her quick eye had caught some writing inside the paper as it fell to the ground. The three sisters now read it in the following terms: -“ Mapam: — The undersigned, Jocelyn Loftus, the indi- vidual mentioned in the enclosed letter from the Princess Sophia, presents his duty to your Royal Highness, and begs to state that, having suffered an imprisonment of between four and five months at Grenoble, namely, from December until three days ago, he was unable to take any earlier steps toward placing the letter in your Royal Highness’s hand. ‘““ He does not now seek a personal interview in the first instance with your Royal Highness; because he is well aware that certain circumstances, which he has to explain, would tend to defeat any such endeavour on his part to approach your Royal Highness. ‘“ He however hopes that the lady who has kindly con- sented to become the bearer of this letter to your Royal Highness will be enabled to return with a favourable answer to Jocelyn Loftus, so that he may without delay present his homage to your Royal Highness. ‘* He is at present residing at the house of Doctor Maravelli, a physician and surgeon in the suburb of ‘In conclusion, he begs that under no circumstances will your Royal Highness permit yourself to be prejudiced against him, no matter from whose lips hostile or calum- niating representations may come, for Jocelyn Loftus will be enabled to prove that his motives are utterly free from selfishness, his character unimpeachable, the per- secutions he has endured most undeserved, and his aims and objects entirely in the interest of your Royal High- Ness. / “Geneva, May 12, 1815.” CORNICLOOL “S$ (C(O) im