The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

40 REYNOLDS’ WORKS displeasure, and he added that if I left Brighton with the intention of seeking a personal interview in the hope of in- ducing him to alter his decision, he should regard it as a downright act of rebellion against his authority, and would order his doors to be closed against me. Such was the letter I received, and I flew off like one frantic to the Max- wells’ house to demand explanations. There I learned that Mrs. Maxwell and Louisa had departed together at an early hour that morning (the former had only returned from her journey on the preceding evening). Mr. Maxwell was at home, but he positively refused to see me. The servants knew not whither their mistress and Louisa had gone, but I was determined to find out and seek explanations. I thought that my uncle had been by some means prejudiced against Louisa, and yet if Mrs. Maxwell had really been to him, it did not seem natural to conclude that she would have been the person so prejudicing him against her own sister. There was a hideous mystery in it all, and I knew not what to conjecture. I flew to the railway station, but no ladies answering the description of Mrs. Maxwell and Louisa had departed by any train that morning. An acci- dent which I need not pause to describe put me on their track; they had taken a vehicle to Hastings, and I was resolved to follow. Hurrying back to the barracks, I ob- tained leave of absence from the superior officer in com- mand, and set off. I traced the two ladies to Hastings; thence they had departed in a post-chaise. I also took a post-chaise, and followed on their track. From the infor- mation I received along the road, it appeared evident that Mrs. Maxwell had anticipated pursuit on my part, and that she had exerted all her ingenuity to destroy the traces of her route. She had taken a circuitous one, she had fre- quently changed vehicles, and she had evidently bribed persons who could give information, and who did give it too for the bribes which I also lavished. To be brief, I succeeded in tracing Mrs. Maxwell and her sister as far as Canterbury, and there the clue was altogether lost. Be- wildered what course to adopt— But I need say no more; I came on to Ramsgate.” Edgar Beverley thus abruptly terminated his extraordi- nary narrative, and Christian at once exclaimed, “I will tell you why you came on to Ramsgate. You thought of ob- ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)