The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 394: what you’re looking at

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

THE SECRET EXPEDITION 361 said, in a low and rapid voice, ‘‘ For Heaven’s sake! subdue your emotions. We must not let him suspect that we have even caught the faintest idea of this scene. Besides, all is settled between him and us, and we will take our departure the moment he returns.”’ Scarcely had Mrs. Ranger finished speaking, when Mara- velli reéntered the parlour, and by the rapid glance which he threw upon his two veiled visitants, it was apparent enough that he sought to ascertain whether they had moved from their seats since he quitted the room. But masmuch as the dark veils completely concealed their countenances from his view, — and there were no other appearances to cause him to suspect that they were labouring under any peculiar emotion, — the doctor evidently felt reassured upon the subject. ‘““ Pardon my rudeness, ladies,’’ he immediately said, ‘‘ in having thus left you alone for even so short a space as five or six minutes. And now permit me to offer some slight refreshment — a glass of wine and a biscuit — which indeed I have already ordered my housekeeper to bring in.”’ “We thank you, doctor, for your kindness,’”’ said Mrs. Ranger, rendering her voice as composed as possible, ‘‘ but we must take our departure promptly. I do not know that we have anything more to say: the bargain is struck, all the arrangements are well understood.” “And the most perfect secrecy shall be maintained,”’ added Maravelli. ‘‘ Permit me, ladies, to ight you through the hall.” And officiously throwing open the parlour door, he allowed them to pass forth. But as he followed close behind with the lamp in his hand, the looks of Mrs. Ranger and Agatha, piercing through the thick folds of their veils, were instinc- tively flung upon the stone floor of the hall; and with a kind of shuddering recoil did they observe a long wet mark upon that pavement near the entrance, as if some bulky object saturated with water had been thrown down and then partially dragged along, and the wet had afterward been hurriedly mopped up. Mrs. Ranger felt Agatha stagger against her, but in a quick, significant tone she said, ‘‘ Take my arm, love,”’ and the young lady, instantaneously made aware of the necessity of maintaining her presence of mind, shook off as well as CoOnnicloooks (C(O)