The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 322: what you’re looking at

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

THE MEETING 309 well as she could judge from the distance of about twenty yards, that there was a startling recognition between her brother-in-law and her husband. Was it possible they had met before, and that the marquis could have forgotten the count’s name, or had the count borne some other denomina-- tion when they had thus previously encountered each other? Juliana remained at the window gazing forth; the marquis and her husband stood conversing for a few moments, and while the groom hastened forth to take charge of the horse, they walked away together along one of the shady avenues in the garden. Assuredly, thought Juliana to herself, they must have met before, and now they were probably con- versing on past occurrences familiar to them both. But she nevertheless considered it strange and unkind that her husband did not at once come up to embrace her. In a few more minutes the marquis and the count emerged from the shady avenue, and approached the cottage. They entered together. Juliana heard them both ascend the stairs; the marquis passed into the chamber which himself and Constance had occupied, the count entering that where Juliana was dressing. He clasped her in his arms, and seemed more fervid than ever in the caresses which he bestowed upon her. When these endearments were over, and she had leisure to contemplate him, she was struck with his pallid and careworn looks; but he hastened to assure her that he had ridden throughout the whole of the past night, in order to rejoin her again as soon as possible. Then he renewed his caresses, and appeared so happy in their reunion that she could not at once begin to question him on those various points concerning which she had made up her mind to solicit the most candid as well as the completest explana- tions. “And so accident has thrown your brother-in-law and sister In your way? ”’ said the count. ‘“ The marquis and I have met before. It was some time back, in my father’s lifetime, and ere I succeeded to my title.”’ This explanation, given in her husband’s wonted offhand manner, produced an indescribable relief in Juliana’s mind. She saw at once that he was all he had represented himself to be, or else Villebelle could not ere now have recognized him as such; for that he had done so she naturally inferred from the fact of their walking and conversing together, CONNIE DOOKS (FO)