The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

140 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ducted me into an adjoining room, where we found ourselves alone. Then he threw off the mask of a temporary dissimu- lation, and addressed me with a stern hauteur. It appears that he is acquainted with Sir Edgar Beverley, who has mar- ried my sister. Sir Edgar is in London with his bride, and accidentally meeting Colonel Tressilian yesterday, he com- municated enough to damage me irreparably in the colonel’s estimation. Therefore Tressilian insisted that I should at once leave the Duchess of Marchmont’s ballroom, or else he should deem it his duty to expose my character to her Grace. It was ungenerous, considering the terms on which I had formerly lived with Tressilian, but he was inexorable. I be- sought him to spare me in respect to the Walmers; but with them also is he intimate, and all that I could obtain from him was a promise of forbearance and silence if in the course of to-morrow I quitted their abode. I withdrew from the ball- room, and a domestic conducted me hither, where it was my intention to wait until the Walmers’ carriage should be an- nounced. To the domestic I pleaded indisposition, but de- sired that my friends might not be disturbed or annoyed by the intelligence in the midst of their own recreations. Your Grace’s domestic has gone to fetch the Walmers’ carriage, which was originally ordered to return at two in the morn- ing, and it was the entrance of that footman which I appre- hended when I requested your Grace just now to unlock the door.’’ | “And your husband, Mrs. Oxenden? ” said the Duke of Marchmont, ‘“‘ where is he? ”’ ‘ At Brighton,”’ responded the lady, “‘ and I care not if I never see him again. I have explained to you the circum- stances which brought me to this library. I had not been here many moments when the door opened, and I heard a voice say, ‘Come in! quick, quick!’ I had been pacing to and fro in an agitated manner, and on hearing persons enter, I was fearful of being questioned relative to the cause of my being here. At that moment I was close to the screen, and stepped behind it, thence gliding behind the window-dra- peries. I wonder that your Grace heard not the rustling of either the curtains or my dress— But enough! You now understand how it is that I am here.”’ ‘ And what can I do for you? ” asked the duke. ‘‘ Money in abundance, riches, gold, gifts — ”’ CORNICLIIOOKS (E(0)