The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

THE WITNESS 161 abstinence from all hostility on your part, and the guarantee is that if you violate this compact you must expect no mercy to be shown toward your niece, Lady Ernestina.”’ ‘‘ Enough, enough, it is a bargain,’”’ returned the marquis in a hurried tone. ‘‘ I abandon all pretension, all hope, in respect to Venetia,’ he added, in a scarcely audible voice. ‘“ But, for God’s sake, spare my niece, spare my family the infamy that such an exposure,’ and he glanced toward the Hangman, ‘‘ would entail upon it.” “Yes, upon the conditions stipulated you shall be spared that crowning degradation,’ said the baronet. ‘‘ But mark you well, should the private affairs of Lady Sackville — you know what I mean — become whispered abroad ever so lightly, should even the faintest rumour of those secrets obtain currency, the authorship will be at once attributed to yourself or to Lady Ernestina, and then pitilessly, without remorse, — unhesitatingly, indeed, — shall everything be divulged concerning the mode adopted to send Dysart to the scaffold and to lull him into security through the medium oi the public executioner himself. You understand me? ”’ “I do,” responded the Marquis of Leveson, in a low, deep tone, more indicative of a sense of utter humiliation than oi angry passion. The baronet turned away and accosted Daniel Coffin, who for the two or three minutes that had elapsed since he appeared upon the threshold had been leaning in a free and easy manner against the door-post, viewing with the sardonic satisiaction of a Mephistopheles the sensation which his presence had excited. “You may now take your departure,’’ said the baronet, placing a purse in his hands. ‘‘ There are the remaining hundred guineas due to you for your services in this matter.” “?Tisn’t always that I get two hundred guineas so cheap,”’ observed the Hangman, with a coarse laugh. ‘ Good night, my lord, good night all,’’ and stalking through the apart- ment, he issued forth by the door leading into the Crimson Drawing-room. “ Now, Venetia,” whispered Sir Douglas Huntingdon, as he accosted Lady Sackville, ‘‘ we also may depart.’’ Her ladyship accordingly rose from the sofa, and taking the baronet’s arm, she accompanied him from the apartment, also passing through the Crimson Drawing-room. She kept CoOnniclooolks (C(O)