The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 359: what you’re looking at

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

328 THE COURT OF LONDON you,” exclaimed Hernestina; “it is a real pleasure to serve so sweet a girl as yourself. And now, my dear Louisa, as it will be a quarter of an hour at least before the post-chaise is ready, I have ordered refreshments to be served up in my own chamber; and thither must you accompany me, so that we may have a few minutes’ léte-a-téte before you leave.” This proposal was made with so much friendly candour and winning affability that Louisa did not hesitate to accept it. Lady Ernestina accordingly led the way first into the Crimson Drawing-room, and thence into the adjoining apart- ment, the elegance of which naturally excited Louisa’s admiration, notwithstanding the claims which other and far more serious matters had upon her thoughts. But her patrician guide did not allow her much leisure to contem- plate this room, with its luxurious sofas ranged all around the walls, its splendid porcelain vases exhaling delicious perfumes, and its exquisitely chased silver lamp suspended to the ceiling. Opening the door at the farther extremity, Ernestina conducted the maiden into the next room, where, as the reader will remember, the carpet was the thickest ever trodden upon, and where the armchairs were the most massive ever seen, — provided, too, with cushions of cor- responding proportions. “This is the anteroom to my own chamber,” said the false-speaking and _ evil-intentioned Ernestina, “and I ordered the refreshments to be served up here. I suppose the footman must have misunderstood me,” she continued, assuming a tone of vexation. “ Sit down, my dear girl,” she added, affably pointing to a chair, ‘‘ and I will ring the bell for luncheon.”’ Louisa unhesitatingly proceeded to place herself where the treacherous lady thus pointed; but scarcely had the young virgin’s form made its imprint upon the flocculent cushion when the sudden click of the secret mechanism was heard, and she found herself strangely but alarmingly held captive by means of the springs that clasped her wrists and the steel bands that fastened their gripe upon her shoulders. The terror of consternation for a few moments sealed her lips; but as she beheld Lady Ernestina suddenly dis- appear through a door which opened in the wall exactly facing the treacherous chair, the unfortunate girl saw indeed too well that she was betrayed, and a piercing scream burst Com () IDoaks (E(0)