The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 326: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRILLIANT ENTERTAINMENT 309 in debt, that I have been extravagant, that I have concealed my embarrassments from him, and he adopts this nobly generous course for a twofold reason. He affords me the opportunity of acquitting myself of my supposed liabilities, and at the same time he conveys a reproof for the mingled extravagance and dissimulation of which he deems me guilty. Oh, it is painful to be thus wrongly judged, — but on the other hand, infinite is the relief which I experience at not being compelled to confess everything. I understand him well. He will speak no more upon the subject; he will not ask me who are my supposed creditors; he doubtless thinks within himself that, touched by his generosity and goodness, I shall abstain from extravagance for the future. And I who have not been extravagant at all. I who have even been enabled to assist my brother from the liberal sums which my husband has placed at my disposal.”’ To this effect were the thoughts which swept rapidly through the mind of Lady Anastatia Latham, and drying her Aears, she hastened to open the saie. But she paused ere she took forth the cash-box; she made a strong effort to conjure up her moral courage, and she said to herself, ‘‘ What if I were now to defy these extortioners? ”’ But the moral courage came not in sufficient force to nerve her to that extent. She dreaded an explosion of Shadbolt’s brutal rage; he might create a scene which would be fraught with a terrific exposure at a moment when the mansion was crowded with euests. She felt her own weak- ness, and with a profound sigh she drew forth the cash-box. There was a quantity of gold on one side, a layer of bank- notes on the other. She took forth sufficient for the liquida- tion of Madame Angelique’s extortionate demand, and re- storing the cash-box to its place, she locked the massive door of the sate, thrusting the key into the bosom of her dress. Lady Anastatia then returned to Mr. Shadbolt, and with dignified demeanour, she said, ‘‘ Remember, I totally deny the claim which is made upon me, but I do not wish to have any dispute for such a sum. Here therefore is the amount. Of course you are provided with a receipt? ”’ “Here it 1s, my lady,” answered Shadbolt, infinitely re- joiced at the success of his villainous scheme, and at the same time he drew forth the receipt from his pocket. Anastatia examined it, and perceiving that it was an Eomichboo SS (E(@)