The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 353: what you’re looking at

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

320 THE COURT OF LONDON guineas, for which sum I am indebted to the kindness of my sisters, who with some little difficulty have made up the amount at so short a notice. Accept it, then, liberate your- self, and trouble me no more. Infamous beyond all known infamy would your conduct be, dastardly beyond any cow- ardice which the world has yet seen,were you to make me henceforth the object of your persecutions. Surely you will appreciate how different is the treatment you receive at my hands from that which is shown toward you by your creditor, Mr. Emmerson. He will not grant you your release without the payment of the uttermost farthing, whereas I, whom you have so cruelly, cruelly outraged, and whose weakness you so basely exposed to that very man, I am now doing everything for you. If, then, there be a spark of generous feeling left in your soul, forbear henceforth from persecuting me.”’ ‘“ Do you approve of this, Gertrude? ’’ inquired Editha, who liked to flatter her faithful dependent by seeming to con- sult her on all occasions. ‘‘ Nothing can be better, my lady,’’ was the response, after Gertrude had read the letter. ‘“‘ It is now half-past one o’clock, and the money is to be here at three. The earl has not come home yet.”’ ‘Ts it not most absurd and anomalous,” exclaimed Editha, “that a husband may absent himself from home all night and sleep where he chooses, whereas the wife can scarcely stir abroad even in the daytime without being watched and espied? No doubt but that my precious husband has passed the night in the arms of his new flame, Lady Prescott. But, thank heavens! I am not jealous. What a happiness it ' would be if the earl were not jealous of me! ” ‘“‘ After all,’ observed Gertrude, “‘ the equivoques, the freaks, the stratagems, and the artifices to which that jealousy on his part has compelled us to have recourse con- stitute a rare sport and sustain an agreeable excitement. At the same time, your ladyship must really be more prudent. But — ah! that double knock at the door is the earl’s! His lordship has just come home. I wonder whether he will say anything to your ladyship when you meet relative to the ludicrous exposures of last night.” “No,” observed Editha, ‘‘ he will doubtless appear just as if nothing at all particular had taken place. But you had Gomicbooks (E(0)