The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

78 THE COURT OF LONDON was about one o’clock when she had returned from Lady Lechmere’s, that the scene with the earl had occupied half an hour, and that a similar interval had elapsed since his departure from the room, she argued that it must now be two o’clock in the morning. Her calculation as to the time was by no means a trivial thing, even in the midst of the important considerations that were crowding through her mind. The fact was that the watchman of the district invariably passed along Grosvenor Street about ten minutes past every hour throughout the night, and the project which the venturous damsel had in view could not very well be carried out with success if the aforesaid nocturnal guardian happened to be in the neighbourhood at the time. — Supposing it, therefore, to be about two o’clock, she reckoned that if she let twenty minutes pass she would be ensuring the safety of her scheme; and winding up the timepiece, she set it going. She now opened the drawers, took forth al! the splendid cashmere shawls and the strongest satin scarfs belonging to her mistress, and these she rolled up lengthwise into the form of a rope, fastening them together. Remorselessly and unhesitatingly did she thus treat those handsome articles of apparel which in the acgregate cost hundreds of guineas, twisting and knotting them just as ruthlessly as if they were old rags; but then, she had in view a certain project, the success of which was a matter outweighing the price of all the finery in the world. In this manner full twenty minutes were passed, and then the damsel prepared to carry her bold design into execution. First she pushed a heavy chest of drawers up against the window, and completely around this ponderous piece of furniture did she pass the rope which she had made, not fastening it, but allowing it to run loosely, as if over the wheel of a pulley. Then, against the chest of drawers she placed the sofa, a great armchair, and other things to keep it firm and steady; and all this being done, she returned again to the ransacking of her mistress’s wardrobe. But this time it was for some fitting garment to put on. Enveloping herself in the darkest coloured cloak she could find, and selecting the simplest straw bonnet that presented itself, she now entered upon the crowning act of this night’s strange drama. | . Gently opening the lower part of the window, she listened Gomicbdooks (E(@)