The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER X DUCAL RECEPTIONS EIGHTEEN years (within a few months) had elapsed since the tragic occurrences at Oaklands, — eighteen years, during which not the slightest intelligence had ever been received of the accused Bertram and the missing Eliza. Hugh, Duke of Marchmont, was now in his forty-third year, and that interval had necessarily made some change in his personal appearance. His hair, of such jetty darkness when we first introduced him to our readers, was now under- going its first change toward gray; harsh lines, telling of strong passions and of somewhat irregular pursuits, were traced upon his forehead and in the corners of his eyes. His countenance was thin and pale, his features had grown angular, but their expression was that of a cold, haughty severity. He had married about two years after the tragedy at Oaklands suddenly put him in possession of the title and estates of Marchmont, but no issue had blessed the union. The lady whom the duke had espoused was a young creature of only sixteen at the time of the marriage, and fifteen years having elapsed since the solemnization of those nuptials, she was consequently now thirty-one. For some time the duke had earnestly hoped to have an heir to his title and possessions, but as year after year passed and the hope re- mained unfulfilled, Hugh gradually conceived an aversion toward his young and beautiful wife. This aversion did not at first display itself in any overt acts toward the duchess, but in proportion as it increased, the duke grew all the less careful in concealing it, until the unfortunate duchess could no longer blind herself to the growing indifference of her husband, — an indifference that was merging into downright 120 GOMIiGcdooks (E(0)