The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 292: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XxXVI THE CONFESSION OF ROMANTIC LOVE Our hero was in earnest conversation with Lady Prescott, whom we shall no longer call Mrs. Roberts, in the drawing- room at the physician’s house, when a servant entered to announce that a gentleman desired to see him on the most particular business. Thereupon Lady Prescott said, ‘‘ You had better see him here, whoever he may be, for indeed I have a presentiment that it is some one from the royal villa. I will repair in the meantime to Mrs. Montague’s chamber and have a conversation with her.”’ _Lady Prescott used the name of Mrs. Montague because she did not know that Jocelyn was aware who this said Mrs. Montague really was. But the truth is that the moment he had seen her that morning he did recognize her, for he had beheld her on the mimic stage that night when circumstances made him a spectator of the private theatricals at Carlton House. But the self-styled Mrs. Montague herself did not know Jocelyn Loftus, nor had she noticed him amongst the - spectators, concealed as he was under the gallery, on the occasion referred to. Of course Jocelyn had not appeared to recognize her, but had passed through the ceremony of in- troduction (which was performed by Lady Prescott) with every semblance of being a periect stranger and entirely ignorant who she really was. Nevertheless, we must add he had been much astonished at beholding that lady as an inmate of Doctor Maravelli’s house. Having parenthetically recorded these few but necessary _ observations, we may return to the thread of our narrative. Jocelyn Loftus, acting upon Lady Prescott’s suggestion, desired the servant to show up the gentleman at once, while her ladyship repaired to the chamber of Mrs. Montague. 275 GOmMmiicdoo! (CO)