The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLEMN INJUNCTION 53 Zoe could now afford to smile at the apprehension which had brought her forth from her chamber, and she said to herself, ‘‘ Doubtless my fancy in respect to the figure which I have twice seen in the gallery would be explained with equal ease if accident or research were only to place me on the right track. The causes of these superstitious fears prove to be nothing more than mere natural ones when their mystery is fathomed, in the same way that a ghost, with its white, extended arms, seen by the roadside of a dark night, turns out when approached to be merely a sign- post.” Lady Octavian Meredith began to retrace her way through the chapel, and once more did she find herself in the vicinage of the two suits of armour. She now passed them without the slightest dread, and she was about to draw back the curtain, when she was startled by a sound as of a door opening close by. She looked back, and she beheld a figure muffled in a cloak, and wearing what seemed to be a low, slouching hat. Again did a scream well-nigh part from Zoe’s lips, and it was a marvel that the light did not fall from her hand, but a second glance revealed to her the countenance of Monsieur Volney. He was standing in evident astonish- ment at beholding the Lady Octavian there, and she, feeling that her position was an awkward one, resolved to be candid at once. “Monsieur Volney,”’ she accordingly said, “you are naturally amazed to behold me in this chapel, but I beseech you to suffer me to explain.” ““T am certain,” responded the French gentleman, with that courtesy which he was always accustomed to exhibit toward Zoe, “that your ladyship can have none but a justifiable motive for being absent from your chamber at this hour.” Zoe at once proceeded to explain how her ear had caught a succession of sounds which had at first alarmed her, and how, being worked up to an intolerable degree of excite- ment, she had issued from her room in the hope of ascertain- ing the source of that which had filled her with apprehen- sion. She went on to observe that she was unwilling to disturb any one, and that, in all probability, if she had failed to discover the cause of those sounds, she should have kept the secret to herself. EOMINGIOOKS (SO)