The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

THE COTTAGE 109 the occasion. Taking a cab from the nearest stand, — in Spite of his denunciation of street-vehicles in the presence of Mr. Gunthorpe, — Lord Saxondale directed himself to be driven to the Seven Sisters Road, and in about three- quarters of an hour he was set down at the place of destina- tion. Dismissing the cabman, he walked up the road till he came within sight of the villa which Lord Harold Staunton’s valet had described. It was a pretty little cottage-residence, very recently built, and standing about thirty yards back from the road, the intermediate space being occupied by a flower- garden. It had also a garden in the rear of larger extent, and had coach-house and stables attached to the building itself. Several branching evergreens, tastefully arranged, formed a just sufficient screen to prevent passers-by from being able to peer into the ground floor rooms; and alto- gether it was a picturesque little dwelling, isolated enough to be quite in the country, and yet not too far from the houses in the Hornsey Road to be altogether lonely. Having made these observations from a short distance, Lord Saxondale struck into the adjacent fields, so as to ascend a gentle eminence, the same on which Hornsey Wood Tavern is situated, and whence he might contemplate at his ease the abode of his charmer. But as he was proceeding thither, he observed a cottage at a little distance, and it occurred to him that he would proceed thither to make some few inquiries relative to the signora, such as how long she had lived at the villa, how many servants she kept, and such other matters as he was interested in knowing. The cottage stood completely away from all the other habitations thinly scattered about in that neighbourhood. It was old, dilapidated, and poverty-stricken, standing in the midst of a little garden showing but small signs of culture, and surrounded by a low fence broken in many places. On reaching the door, Edmund knocked, and ere the summons was answered he observed that the dingy blind was partly drawn back from the little window, and some one looked through the dirty panes for an instant. But almost immediately afterward the door was opened by a woman of not very prepossessing appearance. She was of middle stature, and seemed about forty-five years of age. Her hair had evidently once been of jetty (S(O) CoOnniGooolKs