The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 393: what you’re looking at

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

376 REYNOLDS’ WORKS in a frightened manner toward his sister and entreatingly to his brother-in-law. ‘Lord Rushbrook,’’ said the implacable merchant, still outwardly cold, though inwardly experiencing a-burning joy at being enabled to humble the haughty pride of a scion of that aristocratic family into which he had married, “I tell you that you may proclaim to the world whatsoever you will in respect to my harsh temper, but I repeat that you must beware how you expose me as a victim and a dupe, lest I on my side proclaim that on the night of the grand enter- tainment at Tudor House you, Lord Rushbrook — ”’ ‘Sir Frederick, for mercy’s sake, Sir Frederick! ’’ and the viscount was reduced to the most abject condition of an entreating wretch. “That on the night of the grand entertainment at Tudor House,” proceeded the merciless Latham, “ you stole into my study — ”’ “Sir Frederick!’ moaned the viscount. ‘And you plundered me of many hundreds of pounds —”’ “ My God!” and Rushbrook sank back annihilated upon his seat. ‘What is this that I hear?” almost shrieked forth Anas- tatia, as she started up wath wild looks. ‘‘ Sir Frederick, Robert, speak, tell me —’ “Tt means, madam,” responded her husband, though he himself was somewhat bewildered whether his wife were playing a part or whether she could, after all, have been innocent of any complicity with her brother in respect to the robbery, — ‘‘ it means, madam, that on the night when I entrusted the key of my safe to you, that you might take thence a certain sum of money, whatsoever might answer your purpose at the time —”’ “ And without hearing any more,” exclaimed Anastatia, “without understanding what your allusions meant, I declare here, in your presence, Sir Frederick, in the presence too of my brother, as solemnly as I would declare if standing in the presence of my God, that I took from your safe a sum less than six hundred pounds, and that I left twice or thrice as much in the cash-box, though I had not the curiosity to calculate how much.’’ “ But the key, Anastatia, the key?” said the merchant, half-suspiciously and half in the uncertainty of bewilder- GOMIGcbooks (E(0) m