The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXXITI THE FIVE THOUSAND GUINEAS THE reader will be kind enough to remember that Mr. Emmerson wrote a letter to the Countess of Curzon beseech- ing an early interview with her, inasmuch as he had a certain communication to make relative to Colonel Malpas. Now, as Editha well knew that this letter had passed through her husband’s hands and had of course been read by him, she was not imprudent enough either to call upon the money- broker at his office, or give him any appointment elsewhere. But she sent her faithful confidante Gertrude to explain to him how his letter had been intercepted by her husband and read by him before it reached her hands. The astute and sharp-witted abigail proceeded to acquit herself of this commission, and repairing to Nicholas Lane at about eleven o’clock in the forenoon of the day following the memorable incidents at Lady Wenlock’s, she obtained an immediate interview with Mr. Emmerson. This took place in his own private room, but Theodore Varian, who was listening at the door the whole time, overheard everything that passed between his master and Gertrude. 7 “What on earth could have thus suddenly raised the suspicion of his lordship? ”’ exclaimed the bill-broker, in mingled astonishment and dismay, when Gertrude had delivered to him the message of the countess. “IT know not, sir,” responded the abigail, ‘ or, rather, I should observe that it is perfectly intelligible how his lord- ship’s suspicions are always excited now, relative to her ladyship, since that terrible night when I had to lower my- self from the window in Grosvenor Street, and hasten to Soho Square to warn her ladyship and you of what was going on.” 313 CoOnnicloooks (C(O)