The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

THE RIVAL 107 Never was marriage toilet performed with such expedition, and yet not a sign of this precipitation was visible in her appearance when the process was completed. Charming she was, and charming she looked, save, perhaps, that there was a slight air of masculine decision and Amazonian firmness in her looks, which somewhat marred the soft sensibility and winning grace peculiar to her sex. And now, with rapid footsteps she glided along the passage to the stairs, which she descended with equal speed; and, after pausing for a moment at the door of the saloon, as if to summon all her presence of mind and courage for the final scene, she passed into the room. The interior was pitch dark, but the rustling of her dress following immediately. upon the opening and shutting of the door made Florimel aware of the presence of the bride, and he hurried to meet her. Their hands met, and he re- tained hers in his grasp, as he whispered in a tone of profound tenderness, ‘‘ A few minutes more, and you will be mine.”’ ‘Yes, my well-beloved Gabriel,’’ she murmured, in a voice so low that he could not possibly observe in it anything different from that of the Unknown. ‘‘ Now, reverend sir,” exclaimed Gabriel, leading his fair companion toward the vicinage of the table, where he had previously noticed that footstools were placed, ‘‘ be pleased to hasten and fetch Mrs. Brace, since you have told me that she has consented to bestow my bride upon me.”’ But the clergyman, in pursuance of the instructions so precisely given to him by Rao, was already hurrying to leave the room as Florimel thus spoke; and the nobleman was now left. alone with her who had so strangely and adventurously usurped the place of the siren charmer. The circumstances in which Rao now found herself suddenly placed were awkward to a degree. She had never- theless foreseen them, and was prepared how to act; for dangerous as her position now was, and immense as she knew the risk of detection now to be, it was impossible for her to have avoided this dilemma by any other mode of directing the progress of her deeply ramified intrigue. But of what nature was the peril which now menaced her with discovery and the consequent explosion of her scheme? The reader will remember that the Unknown was tall and endowed with charms voluptuously luxuriant GOMIIGDOOKS (S©)