The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

00 THE COURT OF LONDON tourists were taking advantage of the cessation of hostilities to visit the Continental countries. The voyage from Woolwich to Calais was performed in about thirty hours, with a calm sea, but a wind not altogether favourable. Mrs. Ranger was so ill, notwithstanding the smoothness of the passage, as to be compelled to keep her berth the whole time; but during daylight the three sisters remained upon the deck, conversing gaily and affably with the officers belonging to the vessel. On arriving at Dessin’s hotel at Calais, the party was compelled to make a halt for a couple of days in order to enable Mrs. Ranger to recruit herself thoroughly ere she entered upon the formidable task of posting to Paris. It was on a Wednesday afternoon that the Misses Owen and their duenna embarked at Woolwich; it was on the Thursday evening that they reached Calais, and it was not until Sunday morning that they proposed to resume their journey. Now, if the reader will refer to earlier chapters, he will find that it was on the Friday Jocelyn Loftus bade adieu to Louisa, with whom Mary Owen remained, at Canterbury; and we must add that it was on the Saturday that, having crossed in the sailing-packet from Dover to Calais, he also took up his quarters at Dessin’s hotel. We must remind our reader that this amiable, intelligent, and excellent young gentleman, ere setting out on his chivalrous enterprise, had pledged himself to Mary Owen not only to compromise her sisters as little as might be in the task he had undertaken, but also to use every attempt to persuade them to withdraw from the execrable service in which they were engaged. It was therefore his settled intention, on setting out upon his journey, to overtake them as speedily as possible, endeavour to form their acquaintance, and become their travelling-companion if opportunity should serve. For the further development of his plans he naturally trusted to circumstances and to the chapter of accidents; but he was resolved to leave no stone unturned in order to rescue the Misses Owen from the abhorrent influences that now ruled their career, or, at all events, warn the Princess of Wales of the snakelike perils and insidious snares that were scattered in her path. On arriving at Dessin’s hotel late on Saturday evening, and on making inquiries of the waiter as to whether certain COMME OOO KS () (E(0)