The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

144 REYNOLDS’ WORKS cannot remain palsied nor the interest of others be sacrificed on her account. All this, Purvis, you comprehend as well as I.” ‘Your Majesty has already condescended to explain that much to me,”’ answered the old steward. “ I too experience an immense sympathy for her Grace, but at the same time I know that her feelings and interests must now be regarded as secondary to the accomplishment of those paramount duties which I am humbly but faithfully assisting your Majesty to perform.”’ The queen smiled graciously upon Purvis, and she then passed on into the room where the Duchess of Marchmont was so anxiously awaiting her presence. This was the second time that these two ladies had met, that royal lady and that ducal one, and now the latter, ha- stening forward, threw herself at the feet of theformer. The duchess had at length become acquainted with the sovereign rank of her who on the first occasion she had only known as the Lady Indora, but it was not so much in homage to a queen that she thus knelt, as 1t was in the character of a suppliant to one whom she felt to be, by some mysterious and unknown means, the arbitress of her husband’s destiny, and therefore of her own. ‘‘ Rise, Duchess of Marchmont,” said the queen, bending down to take the hands of the prostrate Lavinia, “ and re- ceive at once from my lips the assurance of my illimitable sympathy. But at the same time let me not by those words appear to encourage a hope which cannot possibly be realized.” “‘ Oh, then there is something very dreadful which menaces my husband,” exclaimed Lavinia, starting up from her kneeling position, ‘‘ and your Majesty is invested with the power to punish him! But, oh, madam, the most beautiful of all royal prerogatives is that of mercy, and whether yours be now exercised in strict accordance with the law, or only by virtue of the moral power which you wield and which my husband’s misdeeds have given you, yet do I beseech that the sentiment of mercy will not be forgotten.”’ “ Let us sit down together for a few minutes, Duchess of Marchmont,” said the queen, “‘ and we will converse.’’ Then having handed her Grace to a seat, Indora fixed her large dark eyes earnestly upon her countenance, and asked, ‘‘ Has Gomicdoc cS (E()