The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

THE SECRET EXPEDITION 349 “ Tis cold, ’tis the night air,’’ said Mrs. Ranger. ‘’ You must not give way to idle fears or gloomy presentiments.”’ ‘“ But you tell me,’’ said Agatha, whose teeth chattered audibly, ‘‘ that the house to which we are going is situated in one of the most secluded quarters of Geneva.”’ ‘The terror implied by this remark is foolish, Agatha,’’ said Mrs. Ranger. ‘“‘ No one will molest us; there is no danger. The police regulations of Geneva are excellent, and crime is scarcely heard of. Besides, if I am courageous enough to venture thus by night into a lonely quarter for your sake, surely you can conquer this repug- nance — ”’ ‘“ Pardon me, my dear friend,’’ said Agatha, “‘ for a good friend indeed have you been to me. Without your aid and advice, I should never have been able thus to have con- cealed my position.”’ “Oh, it is simple and easy enough!” answered Mrs. Ranger, as she and Agatha proceeded along the narrow road together, in the direction of Geneva. ‘“‘ I do not mind telling you, my dear girl, that I have had some little ex- perience in these matters in my lifetime, and more than one young lady of high birth, rank, and title has been indebted to me for concealing her shame — I beg your pardon, my dear, I did not mean any imputation — concealing her position, I meant, until almost within a week or two of the crisis. I was once companion to a widow lady of high rank, who had an only daughter, a very beautiful girl, but the strength of whose passions was insuperable. She was engaged to be married to a young nobleman temporarily absent in the colonies, but in the meantime she could not resist the temptation of intriguing with a youthful foot-page in the household. Dear me!’ continued Mrs. Ranger, “‘ he was quite a boy, not more than seventeen or eighteen, but nevertheless the result was that the young lady found her- self in a way to become a mother. I soon penetrated her secret, and she gratefully gave me her confidence. Fortunate for her was it that she did so, for I enabled her to conceal her position up to within two days of her confinement. Then she quitted home upon some excuse already arranged, and re- turned in a fortnight, looking a leetle delicate and interesting, it is true, but without an appearance to excite her mother’s suspicion as to what had happened. Three months afterward ! 7? Mn CoORnnicloooks (C(O)