The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 323: what you’re looking at

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

290 THE COURT OF LONDON all his suspicions in that quarter were really true, and that Malpas had been his wife’s paramour. ‘“ Yes,’”’ he said, ‘‘ the world declares that the colonel has been your lover.” “Then the world is guilty of the foulest calumny,” returned the veiled lady, ‘“‘ for I do not even know Colonel Malpas to speak to.”’ “Not know him? ”’ ejaculated the earl, inwardly cursing what he supposed to be Editha’s astounding effrontery; but, instantly mastering his excitement, he said, ‘‘ Then the world has indeed done you much wrong, and perhaps it was equally guilty of as foul a calumny when it whispered abroad that you had formed a new intimacy, with a certain stock-broker, money-lender, or whatever he is, of the name of Emmerson.’’ ‘“My lord, you must positively be dreaming,” said the veiled lady, partially withdrawing her hand from Curzon’s arm. ‘‘ But I cannot believe that you are intending a premeditated insult, to which, however, the bare iteration of such a calumny almost amounts, when I afhrm, solemnly, sacredly affirm, that I never even heard of the name of Emmerson in my life.’ “Then again has the world wronged you most cruelly,” said Curzon. ‘‘ But enough upon this topic. Tell me, sweet lady, did your husband notice my attentions to you last night? ”’ An ejaculation of dismay burst from the lips of the veiled lady as this question fell upon her ears. But we must pause for a moment to observe that while the preceding dialogue was taking place, Curzon and his com- panion had issued from the drawing-room and come forth upon the landing, where they had paused to pursue their discourse. They had then slowly and loungingly descended the great marble staircase, at the foot of which the lady stopped suddenly short, and disengaged herself from Curzon’s arm as he put that question which we have last recorded. ‘Wretched woman!” he instantaneously said, “ you begin to suspect now that something is wrong and that I — am not really he whom I have pretended to be. You fancied that you were conversing with another, with Lord Sackville? But behold! ’”’ and the ‘Bari of Curzon took off the mask from his face. GComicbooks (ele)