The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

148 REYNOLDS’ WORKS were cruel, it were even wicked on my part to abstain from giving you this warning. I must now leave you, but I will summon into your presence an amiable and excellent young lady who will do her best to soothe, solace, and console you.” Lavinia listened with a look of dismay, and yet with a certain expression of gratitude, to this solemnly delivered speech. It portended something dreadful in respect to her husband, and her own tremendous fears were now frightfully suggestive. She could not speak, she could not give utter- ance to a syllable in reply to the queen’s address, but again sinking at her feet, she took Indora’s hands and pressed them to her lips, as if to implore that as much mercy might be shown to her husband as circumstances would permit her Majesty to show. Indora stifled a sob which threatened to convulse her own bosom, and pressing the hands of the duchess, she stooped down, kissed her forehead, and devoutly murmured, ‘‘ May Heaven, my afflicted friend, sustain you! ” The queen then issued from the apartment where this most painful interview had taken place, and she found Purvis waiting for her on the landing. ‘Send Miss Ashton to the duchess,” said Indora to the old steward, ‘“‘ and bid her remain with her Grace until her presence shall be required elsewhere. Then having done this,’’ added Indora, impressively, “‘ let the proceedings of the tribunal at once commence.”’’ Purvis bowed, and then said, ‘‘ May I be so bold as to ask your Majesty whether the twins have a foreknowledge of all that is about to take place? ”’ “No, Purvis,’’ answered the queen, “‘ as little as possible has been said to them, and they are ignorant for what object they have been brought hither. But I must not remain in conversation here; the solemn proceedings of the tribunal must commence.” Having thus spoken, Indora returned into the vast apart- ment hung with black, while Purvis hurried off in another direction to execute her Majesty’s orders in respect to Chris- tina Ashton. On reéntering the state room which had been fitted up with so much awful solemnity, and which in some respects resembled an inquisitorial scene of remoter and darker ages, Indora resumed her seat upon the throne. Nothing now remained changed in respect to the appearance CORNIELIOOKS (E()