The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER II VERNER HOUSE WHEN he had retired to his own chamber at night, after the exciting events of the stirring day through which he had passed, Christian Ashton reflected upon all those occurrences, and not the least on the mysterious adventure of which he had obtained an initiative glimpse in the neighbourhood of Sir John Steward’s residence. As the reader is aware, our young hero’s heart was engaged with an unalterable devotion to the charming Isabella Vincent, and therefore it was merely with a genuine compassion and a pure sympathy that he thought of the beauteous and afflicted Laura. He trembled on her behalf for more reasons than one: the character he had heard of Sir John Steward, and which seemed fully justified by the old libertine’s gloating looks, was alone sufficient to fill him with such apprehensions, but in addition thereto, he by no means liked the appearance of Mrs. Oxenden. That she was exceedingly handsome we have already said, but she had a certain bold and resolute look, fully indicating the firmness and perseverance with which she would prosecute any enterprise, even though a bad one. She had the thickly pencilled ebon brows and the fiery eyes which denote strong passions; the configuration of her countenance was essentially voluptuous. She was not a woman to inspire love by her beauty, only to excite passion; nor did she herself appear susceptible of the former in its chastest and purest sense, though, on the other hand, she seemed fully capable of experiencing the latter with a glowing and devouring ardour. Between that old man of libertine character and this woman of sternest purpose, the hapless Laura appeared in the eyes of Christian to be as helpless as a lamb between two wolves bent on its destruction. 12 CORNIClIOOKS (E(0)