The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XI THE TRIBUNAL THE scene now changes to Oaklands. It was about ten days after the incidents detailed in the preceding chapters, and a solemn ceremony was about to take place at the grand ducal mansion in Hampshire. It was eleven o’clock at night, and we must introduce the reader into the largest state drawing-room at Oaklands. But very different was its aspect from that which it was wont to wear, for it was now hung all around with black drapery, and instead of being flooded with lustre, it was dimly lighted, so that the gloom which prevailed was made apparent rather than relieved by that feeble glimmering. As if, however, to throw this light upward with a ghastly effect, the floor was covered with white calico, but the ceiling, as well as the walls, was spread with sable cloth. At regular intervals the black drapery along those walls was gathered in such a way that the folds had the appearance of black marble pillars, and thus the monotony of an unbroken sur- face was avoided. A door standing half-open showed that a strong light was burning within an inner room, and this added to the strangeness and striking awe produced by the general effect of the larger apartment. What this inner room contained, could not be described from the other one, as the door was sufficiently closed for such concealment, unless the threshold were approached. At one extremity of that vast apartment was a dais, or platform, raised to the height of two steps, and also covered with white calico. In the centre of the dais stood a large armchair, looking like a throne, and in this was Queen Indora _ seated. She was arrayed in white; the luxuriant masses of her dark hair fell upon her shoulders and floated down her 141 GomilGaooks (©)