The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

ISABELLA AT VERNER HOUSE 185 proceed thither to pass as long a time as I might think fit. My own maid was likewise in attendance upon me. We reached our destination in the evening, and I found that my new quarters were established in a comfortable little home- stead where every attention was shown me. This was about ten days back, and therefore, you see, I had not been there many days before I was seized upon and carried off by the wretches who brought me hither. I must tell you that an iul-looking elderly woman had accosted me in the morning while I was rambling by myself in the fields, and she ad- dressed me in a familiar style which I did not like. I turned indignantly away, and though annoyed for the time, soon ceased to think of the incident, for, alas! dear Christian, I had other and weightier subjects to occupy my thoughts. In the evening I again walked out; I did not ramble very far, but it was in a secluded lane that I was proceeding, when I was pounced upon by a man and a couple of women, — one of the latter being she who had addressed me with such familiar impertinence in the forenoon. ‘To be brief, I was thrust into a post-chaise which was waiting at a little dis- tance; I fell into a deep swoon, and when I came back to con- sciousness was being borne along at a rapid rate inside that vehicle, and in the horrible companionship which I have mentioned.”’ “The wretches,” ejaculated Christian, his cheeks flushing with indignation, and then he strained Isabella in his arms. ‘They used the most horrible menaces,”’ continued the young damsel, “ to compel me to remain quiet as we passed through villages or towns, or stopped to change horses. I dared not cry out; I feared for my life, helpless as I was in the power of those people. I have a recollection of the man once alighting at some place where we stopped, and I caught the words that he whispered to an inquiring landlord, ‘ Poor creature, she is mad; we are taking her to an asylum.’ Then I swooned again, and recovered not my senses till I found myself in the chamber whence you delivered me last night. Oh, the distraction of my thoughts, the frenzy of my feelings, as I really fancied at first that I was in a mad-house. But the negress was there; she told me where I was, and assured me that if I would only remain quiet for a day or two, I should be set at freedom. And now, dear Christian, I CORnNICLOOKS (CO)