The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

28 REYNOLDS’ WORKS matters, but she perceived that Rachel was trembling to such a degree that she felt 1t would only be an act of kindness to encourage and reassure her. ‘“* Rachel,” her ladyship accordingly said, “‘ that foolish girl Honor has been infecting you with her terrors. I sincerely hope you will not give way to such childish delusions.” ‘‘ Pardon me, my lady, if I seem frightened,” interrupted Rachel, ‘‘ but one cannot always control one’s thoughts. I was sitting here all alone, waiting for your ladyship, and all kinds of disagreeable sens ations began to creep over me. I looked toward the window, and thought I saw a ghastly pale face gazing in at me, so I went and closed the draperies. Then as I looked toward the bed, I fancied that I saw that same face looking out from behind the curtains, and it was ever so long before I could muster up the courage to go and peep behind them and satisfy my mind there was no one there. Scarcely had I recovered from this alarm, when the door opened, and such a cold chill swept through me, for I thought I saw some one looking in at me. But again I mustered up my courage; I peeped out into the passage, and there was no one. That nasty door has got such a wretched lock, it opens of its own accord.”’ “You have been giving way, my poor girl,” said Zoe, ‘ to the hallucinations of your frightened fancy. You must be more courageous. I can dispense with your services this evening. I intend to read a little before retiring to rest, and as you are nervous and uneasy, I will accompany you as far as the door of your own chamber. But you must not tell Honor that I did this, as it is for the first and last time, and henceforth I shall expect both of you to exhibit more courage.”’ Zoe did not really intend to sit up reading before she sought her couch, but with the kindest consideration she made this a pretext for seeing the terrified Rachel as far as her own chamber. The girl was exceedingly grateful to her mistress, for she was indeed labouring under a nervous trep- idation and a sense of superstitious terror which she could not possibly shake off. ‘“ We must tread lightly,’”’ said Zoe, “ for I would not have it supposed by the other inmates of the chateau that I possess maids so foolish as to be afraid to go to their own rooms by themselves.”’ ECORMICLIOO KS (E(0)