The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

78 THE COURT OF LONDON for he could now distinguish through the keyhole that there were two figures — stopped at the door of the room immedi- ately opposite the one where he was stationed. “This 1s the chamber, my dear friend,” said a voice, which Captain Tash instantaneously discovered to be Ve- netia’s; then, as she threw the opposite door open, she said, ‘‘ Lights are burning and everything is prepared.”’ The two ladies then entered the chamber, and Captain Tash, still peeping through the keyhole of his own door, caught a glimpse of the countenance of Mrs. Malpas as she passed into that room, the door of which was immediately closed. For upwards of five minutes all was then still in the passage again. Still Captain Tash remained at his post. What could this mean? Was Mrs. Malpas going to pass the night at Carlton House? If so, there would have been nothing very extraordinary in such a circumstance, supposing that she was on very intimate terms with Venetia and that no mystery was observed. But the captain, who was a thorough man of the world, knew full well that Mrs. Malpas was not the kind of woman that the intellectual Venetia would choose as a bosom friend, and he therefore argued that her ladyship was making use of the colonel’s wife for some purpose or another. Besides, there was evidently a certain degree oi mystery in the manner in which Mrs. Malpas had been eonducted to that room; and thus everything seemed to corroborate the captain’s first suspicion that something of a designing and covert nature was going on. Such were the reflections that passed through his mind, as he still kept his post; and at the expiration of five minutes he heard female footsteps again coming down the passage. By aid of the convenient keyhole, the captain presently recognized Jessica, Venetia’s maid, and by the stealthy manner in which this confidential abigail was threading the passage, as also from the importance expressed in her looks, Captain Tash felt more than ever assured that some strange manceuvring was really in progress and that Jessica had her part to perform in it. Halting at the opposite chamber, Jessica gave a low knock, and Venetia immediately opened the door. “Can I be of any assistance, my lady? ”’ asked the abigail, in a voice which though subdued was nevertheless just loud EORNIClIOO KS (E(0)