The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLEMN INJUNCTION D0 nimity, yet I was less certain in respect to your maids. For the minds of those who are only partially educated are more susceptible of the influence of superstitious terrors — ’”’ “TI will candidly inform you, Monsieur Volney,” said Zoe, “that it was the gardener who acquainted my maids with that legend, but I beseech you not to visit him with your displeasure.”’ ‘‘ And you saw that form while as yet ignorant of the legend?’ said Monsieur Volney, in a musing tone, and with a strange darkness of the looks. ‘“ Then I myself could not possibly have been deceived.”’ “What mean you?’’ inquired Zoe, quickly, as well as anxiously. ‘What appearance had the figure?’’ asked Monsieur Volney, without heeding Lady Octavian’s question. “I saw it but dimly,” rejoined her ladyship, ‘“‘ and what- ever it might have been — I mean if it were some real, living intruder —I could not conscientiously declare upon my oath in a court of justice that the description, as it was faintly impressed upon my mind, is the accurate one. But it certainly seemed to me to be the form of a tall man, of slender figure,— young too, I should think,— and ap- parelled in dark garments. My ear caught not the slightest sound of a footfall on either occasion, and thus, when after the first occurrence I heard that legend which represents how the unfortunate Lenoir is supposed to glide with his shoeless feet through the passages of this chateau, I was cer- tainly struck with a strange feeling.”’ ‘“‘ Yes, strange, most strange,’’ muttered Monsieur Volney, and then he looked deeply perplexed. ‘And you yourself,’ said Zoe, again in anxious inquiry, ‘“‘ have some reason — ”’ ‘“ Your ladyship has been candid with me,” interrupted the French gentleman, “I will be equally candid with you. Listen, Lady Octavian. Never until this night was I in the faintest degree affected by that legend. Indeed, I have very rarely thought of it since the first day — some five years back — that it was communicated to me. But to-night it is different. I was ascending from my study to my own chamber, when methought that at the end of a passage I beheld a form — just as you have described it — and in exact corre- spondence with the superstitious details of the legend. Not CORNICLOOKS (CO)