The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 391: what you’re looking at

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

308 THE COURT OF LONDON when your services, which are thus retained, shall have been duly rendered.” ‘You have stated the case, madam, with the same pre- cision in which I have already agreed to every one of its details. Save and except,’’ continued Doctor Maravelli, “that you have omitted to specify how the annual stipend of twenty-five louis d’or is to be paid for the maintenance of the child.” “ Through your own bankers,’ said Mrs. Ranger, ‘‘ as you will undertake to keep an eye upon the child, so that should it live and its parents at any time be desirous of claiming it, the wish may be at once gratified by application to you.” ‘“ These are the conditions,’’ observed the doctor, ‘‘ and I on my part consent to them all. I hope that my fair patient, who has listened to this discourse, 1s satisfied? ’’ and he turned with a sort of sycophantic courtesy toward Agatha, who liked his manner as little as might be. But ere she had time to give any answer, a bell was heard to ring in the hall, and the doctor, as if seized with a sudden uneasiness, started from his chair, listened attentively, then sat down again, trying to look composed, and then once more sprang from his seat with increasing restlessness. ‘‘ Excuse me for a few minutes,”’ he said. ‘‘ It is the gate- bell — and I think I can guess — ”’ Then, without saying any more, he bowed to the two veiled ladies and abruptly quitted the room. ‘‘ Something is wrong, I do not like his manner, what can it be? ”’ said Agatha, in a hasty whisper, and now speaking to Mrs. Ranger in English, for all the conversation with the doctor had been carried on in the French language. ‘“ Oh, ’tis nothing,’’ answered Agatha’s companion, in the same hushed and subdued tone. ‘‘ You can judge full well, by all he has undertaken for us, that he is not excessively nice or particular, and it may be he is now receiving some visitors on an errand belonging to the same species, though perhaps not precisely of the same form or fashion as our own.”’ “Hush!” said Agatha, whose terrors sharpened all her faculties, ‘‘ there are voices whispering outside, and, oh, the doctor has left the door ajar! Doubtless ’twas in his agita- tion, — for agitated he assuredly was, — and therefore I do not think that it was any ordinary visitor he was ex- Gomicbooks (E(0)