The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

THE VILLA 241 suspicious, ‘‘ and yet it is his lordship’s handwriting; here too is the Edenbridge postmark —_’’ ‘“But observe, my dear sister,’’ interrupted our young hero. ‘‘ This letter addresses me as ‘My dear Deveril,’ whereas the marquis invariably writes to me as ‘ My dear William.’ It speaks of ‘ kindest regards,’ whereas the term is wont to be either ‘ most affectionate regards ’ or ‘ kindest love,’ and instead of ‘ Your sincere friend,’ his lordship is accustomed to subscribe himself ‘ Yours affectionately,’ or ‘Your affectionate friend.’ ‘Trivial as the variations in this letter may seem from his lordship’s habitual manner of communicating with me, they are nevertheless important when a suspicion is excited.” ‘True,’ observed Angela, thoughtfully as well as anx- iously. ‘‘ But what do you suspect ?”’ ‘I know not, dear sister, and yet I am afraid that some treachery is at the bottom of this note. Indeed,’’ he continued, having taken up the letter again and considered it attentively, ‘ I am now all but convinced that this is not even the handwriting of the marquis, excellent though the imitation be. Angela, it is a forgery — I feel convinced of it, and there is a treacherous intent in some quarter.”’ The young maiden grew very much alarmed, but her brother hastened to reassure her by observing, ‘‘ It would be much worse, Angela, if our suspicions had not been thus excited, and if in blind confidence I were to plunge headlong into the snare, whatsoever it may be, that is set for me. The object evidently is to get me away from home during the ensuing night; hence the recommendation to be at EKden- bridge by the dinner-hour, so that it is doubtless calculated I could not get back again, on discovering the deceit, until long past midnight.”’ “ And what will you do, William?” asked Angela, still with a trepidation of anxiety, though considerably reas- sured by what her brother had just said. “ What shall I do?” said William, thoughtfully repeating the question thus put to him, and then for a few moments he reflected deeply. ‘I tell you what I will do, Angela: I will start off at once for Edenbridge, and clear up all uncer- tainty as to the genuineness or fabrication of the letter. If it be a forgery — as we have so much reason to suspect — I will return home at once. I can easily come back by three Cconmiciaooks (EO)