The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

THE APPOINTMENT 281 the expedient to which my cunning and crafty husband purposes to have recourse. But we will outwit him. Ah! T have it,” she ejaculated, as a thought struck her. ‘ Capi- tal! capital! we will turn the tables completely upon the earl. Talk of forgeries! I will see if I cannot forge a note from him to a certain person. Give me my desk, Gertrude.”’ The writing materials being placed upon the table, the countess proceeded to pen a letter, which she indited with ereat care, disguising her own hand to the utmost of her power, and imitating that of her husband with great effect; for be it remembered that this was not the first time she had practised a little in this way. When that letter was finished, she hastened to pen another, but this latter was in her own undisguised handwriting, inasmuch as it was addressed to Lord Sackville, and ran as follows: “Curzon Houss, Dec. 11, 3P.M. ‘Thanks for your letter, my dear Horace. I will be at Lady Wenlock’s to-night. But on no account go dressed in the way you have described in your letter. Adopt some plain and unassuming garb, and at half-past eight o’clock be in the conservatory opening from Lady Wenlock’s drawing-room. You know it? I shall be there, and shall bring Gertrude with me as a companion, because the circum- stances are peculiar, as I will explain. You may recognize me by my dress, an accurate description of which I now give you. * * * Yours affectionately, ‘“ EDITHA.”’ Where the stars appear in Lady Curzon’s letter was given the description of the costume, but which there is no neces- sity to inflict upon our readers. Suffice it to say that the two letters being duly addressed and sealed, the one in the feigned hand to a certain person, and the other in Editha’s usual hand to Lord Sackville, Gertrude undertook to deliver them in person, so as to prevent the possibility of mistakes, and she sallied forth accordingly. As for Emmerson’s letter and the important matter to which he had alluded therein, Editha was compelled to postpone any notice of the same until the morrow, she having quite enough on her hands to occupy herself for the rest of the eventful day of which we are writing. EORTC OOOKS (C(O)