The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHATEAU q in the village; she took a liking to the surrounding scenery, and she resolved to make a halt in thatneighbourhood. Dur- ing a visit to the picturesque little church, she had formed the acquaintance of the priest, and in the course of conversa- tion she had expressed a desire to be received into some genteel but very quiet and secluded French family. The priest was already aware of Monsieur Volney’s desire to vary the monotony of his daughter’s life, and he mentioned to him Lady Octavian Meredith’s wish. The result was that Zoe, attended by her two domestics, took up her abode with Monsieur and Mademoiselle Volney at the old chateau. Zoe had been given to understand that Monsieur Volney, having experienced many griefs and cares during his life, was unfitted for society, and was of misanthropic habits; but the worthy priest had told her, on the other hand, that she would find in Clarine Volney a gay and amiable companion. And such proved to be the case. While Monsieur Volney continued his solitary walks, or remained shut up in his study, Zoe and Clarine were almost constantly together. They soon formed a friendship which ripened into an affection for each other, and Lady Octavian Meredith appeared not to notice the gloom and sombre aspect of the old chateau, so well was she pleased with the friend whom she had found there. Lady Octavian was in ill-health, and this appeared in Clarine’s estimation to affect her spirits somewhat, but in respect to her beauty, to render it all the more touchingly interesting. Zoe’s countenance wore a sainted expression of true Christian resignation to whatsoever might be her fate, and for some time Clarine thought that it was an early death to which Zoe thus resigned herself. But as they grew more intimate, Lady Octavian unbosomed herself completely to her new friend, and then Clarine comprehended that it was not to a sense of physical evils only to which Zoe was thus meekly bowing, but that it was likewise to the sorrow that was consuming her heart. It will be necessary to afford the reader some idea of the internal arrangements of the chateau. We have already said that it was a large, straggling edifice, but all its parts were connected in some way or another. There was the main building; there were wings, communicated with by means of corridors; beyond these there were other buildings, which were reached by open passages, or rather colonnades. It EOMINGIOOKS (CO)