The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

146 THE COURT OF LONDON curtain behind which the Hangman was concealed, as if every moment she expected it to be flung aside and display the terrible intruder. But Ernestina’s appalling -fears were not realized; the curtain remained closed, and all was still, all was tranquil behind it. She reached the door, which stood open; she passed into the next room, and then she threw a shuddering look over her shoulder, to see if the Hangman were not behind her. But no one was there, and, regaining courage, she pressed the secret spring to open the admirably con- trived door in the wainscot. Passing out of her uncle’s mysterious, or, rather, infamous suite of apartments, she traversed the dressing-room and the bedchamber and emerged upon the landing, where the rapid glance which she flung around at once reassured her that no one was nigh. Breathing now with comparative freedom, she ascended to her own chamber, and locking the door, she flung herself into an armchair, exhausted with the overwhelming effects of the few minutes of stupendous terror through which she had just passed. And now the thought struck her that if the Marquis of Leveson had not really engaged the services of Daniel Coffin for some intrigue or another, it was absolutely necessary he should be informed of the presence of that individual within the walls of the mansion. But then, what excuse could she allege for having been in that gallery? Depraved as she was, depraved as her uncle was, and depraved as they knew each other thus to be, Ernestina nevertheless shrank from the idea of looking the marquis in the face and confessing that her heated imagination had alone impelled her to visit his museum of artistic devilries and exquisite abominations. She therefore resolved to allow matters to take their chance, though she herself would not be able to seek her couch that night with the knowledge that Daniel Coffin was concealed about the premises. While these thoughts were still agitating in her mind, she was startled by a sudden knocking at her chamber door, and hastening to open it, she perceived that it was her lady’s- maid. “ Ah! my lady,’ exclaimed the girl, ‘‘ I am glad that your ladyship has not yet retired to rest.” “Why? What has happened? Is anything the matter? ”’ Gomicbooks (E(0)