The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

THE KEY UNDER THE MAT V7 they were far enough off for Mrs. Malpas to have escaped recognition, and thus hastily reéntering the boudoir, they closed the door. Captain Tash was struck by this circumstance. What could Mrs. Malpas be possibly doing in Carlton House? - How was it that she had thus managed to place herself on such evident terms of intimacy with Venetia as to visit her twice in the same day? Not only was the captain’s curiosity piqued, but he was likewise anxious to watch the motions of Mrs. Malpas in consequence of the discourse which he had held with the prince concerning her a few minutes back. He felt convinced that she was not now at the palace on a mere friendly visit to Lady Sackville, but that something savouring of intrigue or Manceuvring was going on, — an opinion which seemed to be confirmed by the sudden with- drawal of the ladies on beholding him approach along the passage. Casting his eyes hastily up and down the corridor, Captain Tash could see no place where to conceal himself, and for a few instants he stood irresolute how to act. But immediately behind where he had halted was a door that stood ajar, and without further hesitation, but at all risks, he stepped back, pushed open the door, and entered the place into which it led. Obscurity enveloped it, but from the beam of light which penetrated at the moment that he opened the door, he tancied that he caught the outlines of a couch and drapery, thus inducing the belief that it was a bedroom. Here, with the door kept ajar, — that is to say, open to about the extent of an inch, — the captain ensconced him- self, and listened with breathless attention. Two or three minutes passed, and all was still in the corridor. The cap- tain now began to recollect that he had quitted the prince for the purpose of procuring cigars from his Royal Highness’s dressing-room, and he was just thinking that he had better perform that errand and return to his royal companion, when he heard a door open gently higher up the passage. Motionless as a statue, and breathless as one too, did the captain remain at his post, and in a few moments he heard the rustling of female dresses and the gentle tread of light feet approaching from the direction where the door had opened. Almost immediately afterward he caught the soft murmur of voices, and the next moment the two ladies — CORNICLOOL <S) (C(O) im