The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

EDITHA 67 to conceal the countenance as to afford no mean auxiliary to the intrigues of gallantry. Lady Lechmere, who was deep in all the secrets of her friend Editha, was waiting on the first landing for the appear- ance of the disguised Gertrude; and making a signal to a servant who stood in the hall below, the cry of ‘‘ Lady Curzon’s carriage! ’’ was immediately sent forth into the street. ‘“ Now, my dear countess,” said Lady Lechmere, as she accompanied the disguised Gertrude down the stairs, and thence through the hall as far as the very threshold of the mansion, “‘ you do well to wrap yourself up in this manner. The night is bitterly cold, and coming out of hot rooms, it is enough to give you your death, susceptible of the chill as you are. Good night, my dear countess,” she exclaimed, more loudly still. And Gertrude, enacting the part of the said countess, shook Lady Lechmere by the hand with every appearance of the most friendly cordiality; then tripping lightly into the carriage, she was whirled away to Grosvenor Street. In the meantime the real Countess of Curzon, completely disguised in Gertrude’s apparel, wearing the ample cloak and the thick veil of that complaisant lady’s-maid, descended the private staircase, and emerged by the side door into the by-street, at the corner of which Mr. Emmerson was waiting with a hackney-coach. Into the vehicle they got, and were driven as far as Oxford Street, where they alighted; and thence they proceeded on foot to Mrs. Gale’s fashionable house of infamy in Soho Square. CoOnniclooolks (C(O)