The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

84 REYNOLDS’ WORKS and this they did upon an ottoman on the opposite side of the apartment. Hastily wiping away her tears, Indora perused the letter; it was a somewhat lengthy one, and its contents engaged her for upwards of ten minutes. During this interval Christina occasionally glanced toward the two emissaries, whose peculiar costume she naturally had a certain curiosity to examine, when it gradually oc- curred to her that the younger messenger was exhibiting a certain feeling of uneasiness. At first he, as well as his com- rade, had remained seated with statue-like immovability, but by degrees the younger one began to look around, to give slight starts, to seem even as if he were shuddering and trembling, to sniff the air with his nostrils, and then to fix his naturally piercing eyes upon some corner of the apart- ment with an additional and increasing keenness. It was evident also to Christina that he strove to surmount what- soever feeling thus moved him, but that it was gradually srowing stronger than himself. Even his companion, the senior messenger, at length perceived it, and bent a reprov- ing look upon his comrade; then the latter became motion- less and rigid for another minute or two, but at the expiration thereof he again yielded to that sense of nervous uneasiness which though so visible was yet utterly unaccountable to our wondering heroine. The Princess Indora finished the perusal of the letter, and for a few minutes she remained absorbed in the reflections which a communication from her father might naturally be supposed to engender in her mind. Then she addressed a few words to the senior emissary, and he responded at some considerable length, as if he were giving explanations in answer to a question put. ‘‘ These faithful emissaries,’”’ said the princess, addressing herself to Christina, ‘‘ come as you heard Sagoonah announce, from my royal father. They left Inderabad three months back, and they have travelled by the overland route to this country. From Bombay they were accompanied by an Eng- lish interpreter, whose services they there procured, and thus they have experienced no difficulty in the prosecution of their journey. They only reached London this evening, and they beg me to excuse them for having come hither at so late an hour, but they judged that I should be only too well satisfied to receive the earliest tidings from my beloved CORNICLIOOKS (E(0)