The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE 187 had paid Sophia one of these flying visits to which we have alluded; and therefore her appearance at St. James’s after so brief an interval, and the request which she now made for the dismissal of the waiting ladies from the room, — added to a certain preoccupation which was visible in her manner, — convinced Sophia that something unpleasant had oc- curred. “My dear Charlotte,” accordingly said the aunt, the moment her ladies had quitted the apartment, ‘“‘ has any- thing happened to cause you fresh uneasiness? ”’ “Oh, my dear aunt,’’ exclaimed the young princess, bursting into tears, “ how can I tell you what has occurred? How can I wound your heart so deeply as to speak ill of that mother whom I know you love so fondly? ” “Tell me everything, my dear niece,’ said the Princess Sophia, ‘“‘ and do not regard my feelings at all. Tell me what has happened. You know that I would do anything to serve you. But come, dry these tears. Should any one enter unexpectedly and see you weeping — ”’ ‘“ Oh, let me weep, let me weep, my dear aunt! ”’ cried the Princess Charlotte, now literally wringing her hands in anguish. ‘‘ These tears afford a vent for that sorrow which would otherwise cause my heart to burst. For, oh, this pent-up affliction which circumstances so often compel me to restrain seems at times to become a consuming flame and to prey upon my very vitals — ”’ “Heavens! dear Charlotte,” cried the Princess Sophia, now very seriously alarmed, “‘I know that you grieve on account of your mother, but never, never have I heard you speak so despondingly as at present. Surely, surely something terrible has happened — ”’ “Yes, something terrible indeed,” interrupted the prin- cess; ‘“‘ something of so grave and so serious a nature that I question whether I shall ever return to Windsor again, whether indeed I shall not steal out of England in disguise, and hasten to join my poor dear persecuted mother in Italy.’ ‘For God’s sake, compose yourself, dearest Charlotte! ”’ said the Princess Sophia, in the most soothing manner possible. ‘‘ Instead of giving way to this painful excitement tell me what has occurred, favour me with your confidence, as you have hitherto been wont to do, allow me to give you my advice, and promise me that you will follow it.” CoOnnicloooks (C(O)