The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

190 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘This is abominable,” cried the countess, her ashy lips quivering with rage. ‘‘ The world never saw such dastard conduct, — such a cruel, bitter persecution.”’ ‘“ Ah, I may retort the same,’ said Adolphus, bitterly. ‘* But listen, Ethel. Your conduct is most insensate; it will inevitably lead to suspicion. Circumstances will enmesh you; you will be proved the murderess — ”’ “No, it is you,’’ she ejaculated, ‘‘ who will be proved the murderer, and you will suffer accordingly. Think you not that Isabella suspected something when she insisted on leaving the house so suddenly — ” ‘Yes, she suspected something,” interrupted Adolphus, “but it was against yourself that her misgivings rested. The result of your obstinacy, you perceive, has already de- veloped itself; that poor girl has gone mad, — there can be no doubt of it, — and she has fled from the farm in Kent — ” “Yes, but whatever may happen to her,”’ interjected Ethel, ‘“must be charged at your door. Once — once for all, con- fess. It is only to me that the confession has to be made; it will never pass my lips, but how different will be the terms on which we shall thereafter stand. You will receive my forgiveness, though everything else will be at an end be- tween us; our minds will recover a certain calm, — as much calmness as they can ever hope to experience in this world; we shall separate, and those circumstances which are now calculated to excite suspicion and eventually to fix the crime upon you will cease and have an end.” ‘No, they are tending to fix the crime upon you,” re- torted the Earl of Lascelles, with a savage ferocity. ‘“‘ Those are most cunning and most admirable arguments which you have used, and the use thereof proves how well you can anticipate what was about to be uttered from my lips. Come, Ethel, confess, — for Heaven’s sake confess! ” The countess made a gesture of scorn and contempt, blended likewise with abhorrence, but said nothing. ‘You do not probably know,” resumed the young Earl of Lascelles, ‘‘ how serious matters are growing. There is Makepeace, — too well acquainted with all that weakness into which love betrayed you and me, — Makepeace who succoured and who screened us, — there is this man, I re- peat, Ethel, flinging his furtive looks of suspicion upon ECORMICLIOO KS (E(0)