The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

THE LONELY INN 13 populous cities, but the secluded and inferior kinds of hostelries are of the very worst and poorest description. The one where Miss Marshall now found herself was decidedly no exception to the general rule. The room was only lighted by a single candle, and wore the most poverty-stricken appearance, without even the recommendation of cleanliness as a set-off against its sordid aspect and poor accommodation. A few rickety chairs, a rude table, and a dilapidated side- board constituted the furniture, while a few miserable prints, representing scriptural scenes, served as embellishments for the walls. There was no drapery to the window, and two of the panes being broken were stopped up with rags stuffed through, recourse not even being had to the expedient of pasting paper over the apertures. Kate sat down, dispirited and uneasy. She liked not this halt in so lonely a place. She could not prevent her previous suspicions from reviving in her mind, for she felt almost con- vinced that the highroad had been deviated from, and the longer she reflected on this circumstance the more ominous did it appear. By the light of the lantern when she first descended from the vehicle, she had observed the counte- nances of the innkeeper and his wife, and they were not over- prepossessing. She now studied the features of the attendant who was spreading the table. This was a girl of about eight- een, decidedly pretty, but with one of those countenances which are too inexpressive, too quiet and reserved, to afford much indication of the individual’s character. She was attired in a very homely manner, but yet with a certain degree of neatness. Her figure was light and graceful, and the short petticoats revealed all the lower part of her sym- metrical limbs. Indeed, the skirt of her dress did not descend below the middle of the swell of the leg, thus completely displaying the well-turned ankles. She walked with steps of elastic firmness, carried her head and shoulders well, and, altogether, in personal appearance, was far from uninterest- ing. She said not a word, probably having been already in- formed that the lady guest was a foreigner and spoke not the Spanish tongue; but every now and then she fixed her dark eyes with an apparent curiosity upon Miss Marshall. The viands which the girl placed upon the table were by no means calculated to provoke an appetite, and indeed Kate was in no humour to touch them at all, even if they had CONRNIEDOOKS (S(O)