The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

126 REYNOLDS’ WORKS another, and that other whom I have so long hated as my rival! No, no, I could not endure it. Oh, I will have ven- geance, and my purpose shall be strong to wreak it. There shall now be no more feebleness with me. Did I not arm myself with the courage requisite to plant a dagger in the bosom of Indora? Did I not even snatch forth the venom- ous reptile from its cage, did I not place it in her couch? And if circumstances were hostile to my aims, if those ventures of mine terminated in failure, was it through any lack of courage on my part? No, no, I was bold for all those terrific purposes of mischief, and shall I prove myself weak now?” Sagoonah stood in the middle of the chamber as she thus gave way to her sinister reflections, and when her mind was completely made up, she asked herself a final question. It was whether she did verily and truly possess the strength of mind that was requisite for the carrying out of her purpose, and she answered herself in the affirmative. ‘Now away to a magistrate,” she said, ‘‘ to give the in- formation and strike the blow without further delay. Ah, Christina Ashton, you little thought wherefore you found me so ready a pupil in studying under your tuition the accurate reading of the English language! You little suspected wherefore you discovered me bending with so much earnest- ness over the huge file of the English newspapers! And now I am about to turn my knowledge to an account, — ay, and I know how to set about it. It is but to enter one of the public vehicles, and order the driver to take’ me to the dwelling of the nearest magistrate.” Sagoonah was about to issue from the chamber, when she caught sight of herself in a mirror which she passed, and she stopped short. “This dress,’ she said to herself, “‘ betrays the poor Hindu slave, and it may prevent me from obtaining admis- sion to the presence of the magistrate. Ah! I have read how difficult of access are some of the high functionaries of this country, and how much depends upon the appearance and condition of those who seek an interview with them. Were it Queen Indora herself, with her rich apparel, every lace-bedizened lackey would bow, every door would fly open, and amidst profoundest salutations would she be ushered into the presence of whomsoever amongst England’s digni- ECORNICOOKS (E(0)