The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

298 THE COURT OF LONDON with some such question as the following: ‘ Wherefore, brave cavalier, hast thou left thy sword behind thee?’ Then if the response be, ‘ Because I expected to meet a gentle lady,’ you will know that you have accosted the right individual, and that ’tis I, your sincere admirer, who will thus have given that answer. Do not fail me then, dearest lady, for I love you most sincerely, most earnestly, and most devotedly, and I would give ten years of my life to possess your love in return. I have a thousand things to say, but must postpone them till to-night. ‘“ Your affectionate ‘“ CURZON.” The reader will of course understand that this was the letter which the Countess of Curzon had written in a hand simulating that of her husband, and which we said at the time was addressed to a certain person. This letter had been delivered by Gertrude at Lady Prescott’s town residence, and believing that it really came from the earl himself, she had fallen into the snare so artfully set by the cunning and unprincipied Editha. “Tis my wife who has done this,” said Curzon. Then, with a concentrated bitterness of look and accent, he ob- served, ‘‘ She has completely turned the tables upon me.”’ ‘“‘ And will she not make all London ring with the story? ” asked poor Lady Prescott, with a deep sob. ‘It would be wrong, very wrong,” said the earl, “‘ were I to attempt to buoy you up with a contrary hope. But if you love me, why not dare all, everything, and become my mistress openly? Were you not already prepared,’ he inquired, tenderly pressing her in his arms, ‘“ to gratify my fondest hopes? ”’ ‘““Yes,’”’ she answered, in a murmuring tone, “ but then our amour would have been secret, my reputation would have continued untainted, and if an eligible offer of mar- riage had presented itself, I might have accepted it.” ‘“True,’’ said the earl, still straining her in his arms, “ but circumstances, you perceive, have proved hostile to us, and we must now make the best of them.”’ ‘“ But can you not enter into some arrangement with your wife? ” asked Lady Prescott. ‘‘Can you not agree upon mutual forgiveness, so that if you overlook her faults she GEomicboo cS (E(o) mn