The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

THE PREFECT AND HIS GUESTS 251 ought to be a somewhat mysterious character, in order to inspire a deep interest as well as other engrossing senti- ments, Miss Julia purposed to conceal her countenance in the folds of a thick veil, to disguise her voice, and to assume the sweetly romantic name of Laura Linden. The plan was altogether well digested. Conceive a heroic young lady breaking at midnight through the wall into a young gsentleman’s chamber, amusing this young gentleman with some romantic tale to account for her captivity and anxiety to escape, seeking every little opportunity to play upon his senses and bewilder him with a strange mystification, then holding out to him the promise of immediate flight from dreary prisonage, — conceive ail this, I say, and then you _ will admit that it must indeed be a heart of stone on which such seductive influences could fail to make an impression. And now, Jules,’’ continued the prefect, “and now what will you think when I tell you that this is the very night on which Julia Owen and Jocelyn Loftus are thus to meet. Yes, this very night is the curtain to rise upon the first act of the well-conceived drama; and indeed,’’ added the prefect, as he consulted his watch, ‘‘ it is probable that they have already met, for ’tis near one in the morning.”’ “But they are not really to escape together? ”’ said Jules Martignac, inquiringly. “Do you think me mad?” exclaimed the prefect. ‘‘ No, no, Jocelyn will remain here as long as his virtue continues stubborn; but if he yield to the temptations of the siren Julia, then may he go about his business, and welcome.”’ ‘‘ And how is the pretended endeavour to escape to be contravened? ’”’ asked Jules Martignac, delighted with the whole narrative. ‘““ Not a link in the chain of the proceedings is deficient,’’ responded the prefect; ‘everything is duly weighed, considered, and prearranged. For instance, the watchman, as he goes his rounds, will suddenly command the lights to be extinguished in Jocelyn’s chamber. The order will be given authoritatively and accompanied with menaces; and therefore the light must be put out. Now, what is the result? The young gentleman and the young lady are left together in the dark, and Heaven only knows with what wiles, seductions, and blandishments the false Laura Linden will assail her very virtuous companion. At all CONNICELOOO a <S (CO)