The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

THE APPOINTMENT 277 “There were several letters for Curzon House, miss,’’ answered the postman, ‘‘ but the earl himself just met me and took them.” ‘Were there any for her ladyship?”’ asked Gertrude, scarcely liking to put the question. ‘““ Yes, there were two,’’ was the response, and away sped the postman, giving his sharp double knocks and delivering his correspondence along the street. With a tightening sensation at the heart — for she com- pletely identified herself with the affairs of her mistress — did Gertrude hurry back into the mansion, and great was the consternation which Editha experienced on learning how her husband had waylaid the postman and intercepted the letters. A quarter of an hour elapsed in hurried, anxious, and bewildered discourse between Lady Curzon and her faithful abigail, both dreading lest an explosion should be imminent, and each suggesting a dozen different plans for meeting any emergencies or contingencies that might arise. But at the expiration of that interval, which, though so brief, was nevertheless full of painful apprehensions, a footman entered the parlour, handed two letters to her ladyship upon a silver tray, and then quitted the room again. “Two letters?” hastily observed the lady’s-maid the moment the door closed behind the footman, ‘‘ and the earl has doubtless read them both. Sut are the seals broken? ” “No,” returned Editha, carefully scrutinizing the letters ere she opened them. ‘ Here is one from Emmerson; it is his crest upon the seal. But what a quantity of wax he has used. These City people are so very ungenteel in many things. But, ah! this other letter is from Lord Sackville. I do not know his writing, but I know the arms he has assumed since he was raised to the peerage. Ah!” suddenly ejaculated Editha, in an altered tone, “‘ this letter has been opened! See, here is the place where the wax has been broken and then refastened. ’Tis cleverly done, no doubt; but my eyes are sharp as needles — ”’ “ Yes, ’tis clear enough, my lady,” said Gertrude; “ that letter which you say comes from Lord Sackville has been most certainly opened. And perhaps,’ she immediately added, as a thought struck her, ‘‘ the other one has been opened too and resealed, which may be the reason why there’s so much wax.” Gomicbooks (E(0)