The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

THE EXPERIMENT’S RESULT 133 the room. On issuing forth from the villa, he found the hackney-coach still waiting in the road. “Where is the gentleman who accompanied me?” he asked of the driver. “Gone, sir,’ was the response. ‘‘ He came out and rushed away like one demented.”’ -Villebelle reflected for a few moments. He thought to himself that Jules de Chateauneuf, in a thoroughly altered state of mind, must have sped homeward to make his peace fully with his amiable and loving wife, but he longed to proceed to the mansion to assure himself that such was the fact. On the other hand, he was anxious to inform Con- stance that he had discovered the abode of her sister, whom she was to see in the evening; but then he reasoned that as some hours must yet elapse ere this interview could take place, Constance in the meantime would be full of anxiety and suspense, and would be asking him a thousand questions, to which he might not be able to give very satisfactory replies, for he was resolved to screen Juliana’s most recent faults and frailties — those in respect to Chateauneuf — as much as possible from the marchioness. He therefore came to the conclusion that it would be better to remain some little time absent from the hotel, and in the interval he could visit the chateau. He accordingly entered the hackney- coach, and ordered the driver to take him to the viscount’s mansion. In a short time the Marquis of Villebelle alighted at that palatial residence, and, on inquiring of the hall porter for the viscount, was informed that he was in the drawing- room with the viscountess. Villebelle’s heart warmed at this intelligence, which served to confirm his previously conceived hope that the husband would now do his duty toward the tender and affectionate Stephanie. He ascended to the apartment, to which a handsomely dressed lackey led the way, and the instant the door was thrown open, he observed the viscount and viscountess seated together upon the sofa. The glance that Jules immediately flung upon him was expressive of mingled gratitude and firmly taken resolve, — gratitude for the part which the Marquis of Villebelle had so generously borne in the transaction, and a resolve that thenceforth he would profit by recent experi- ences. As a matter of course, Villebelle assumed the air of CONnNIEOOOKS (C(O)