The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

94 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘Alas! my dear uncle,’’ responded Lord Clandon, “I met my unfortunate brother, and he — ”’ ‘Not a syllable, Hugh,” interrupted the duke, sternly, “not a syllable. I know your generous heart, I know how you love your brother, but if you dare plead for him, I quit the room this instant, or you shall quit the house for ever. I know that they will tell me they are innocent. Guilt always proclaims its innocence, and the more damning it is, the bolder is its effrontery. Hugh, not another word,” and thus speaking, the Duke of Marchmont walked forth from the room. Lord Clandon remained there for a few minutes after his uncle had left him, and then he hastily ascended toward the drawing-room. But on the landing he met Mrs. Bailey, who was descending from her own chamber, ready dressed as if for a journey. ‘““Oh, dear me, my lord,’ she said, quivering with a nerv- ous trepidation, ‘‘ what a dreadful thing! The duke has ordered me to take Eliza away as soon as my travelling- carriage can be got in readiness — ”’ ‘‘ And what else did he say? ”’ asked Hugh, eagerly. ‘“ Nothing,” responded Mrs. Bailey; “ nor would he allow me to put in a single word. I hope, my lord, you have not told his Grace all that I said to you the other day? ”’ ‘Not for worlds, Mrs. Bailey, not for worlds, my dear madam,” rejoined Clandon, hastily. ‘“‘ And for Heaven’s sake, if the duke questions you in any shape or form before you take your departure, beware how you breathe a syllable of those circumstances which you mentioned to me.” ‘““T shall take very good care not to do that,” answered the lady, still trembling with nervous agitation. ‘‘ Oh, what a shocking thing! And I who hadn’t my smelling-bottle at the moment I heard of it.” “Hush! footsteps are ascending,” said Lord Clandon. In a few moments the Duke of Marchmont made his appearance; his demeanour now sternly and haughtily composed, but with an evidently forced rigidity of the features, and his countenance was ghastly pale. ‘““My dear madam,” he said, approaching Mrs. Bailey and taking her hand, ‘‘ I am grieved that it should become your duty, as my wife’s only remaining relative upon her own side, to bear her away from a house which ceases to be EORNICLIOO KS (E(0)