The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

FATHER AND DAUGHTER o her father sought foremployment elsewhere. The ex-turnkey was accordingly compelled to take his daughter with him, and as he had a brother who was comfortably settled as a draper in a town about eighty miles distant, he resolved to proceed thither, in the hope that something might be done for him. He possessed some little savings, to the extent of eighteen or twenty pounds, speaking in English money, and thus he was not as yet compelled to look absolute poverty in the face. In the rotonde, or cheapest part of the diligence (stage- coach), the ex-turnkey and Finette took their places for the town to which we have just alluded. Unfortunately for the poor girl, they were the only travellers in that division of the vehicle, and thus her father failed not to continue his up- braidings as they journeyed onward. Finette wept bitterly; she over and over again avowed all her folly and wickedness, and besought her sire’s pardon. But he was one of those men who could not be very easily appeased, and who in any case must give the fullest vent to their ill-humour before the word “ pardon ”’ could possibly escape their lips. At length the ex-turnkey talked himself off to sleep, and Finette sat pensive and miserable, looking listlessly from the win- dow of the diligence. At one of the post-houses where the coach stopped to change horses, and while her father continued to sleep soundly, Finette’s eyes settled upon a placard posted against the wall immediately opposite the window of the diligence. She beheld ‘the name of De Margaux. She read the placard; it offered a reward of a thousand franes (forty pounds ster- ling) for the apprehension of the escaped prisoner. The contents of this bill put Finette’s feelings to a new and final test; such an impulse was given to her thoughts that she now unmistakably comprehended whether there were any lingering remnant of the late infatuation in her soul, or whether her love had turned to hatred. She understood likewise whether, if De Margaux suddenly appeared before her, even with veritable proofs of his buried treasure and of his Alpine villa, she would flee away with him to share his riches, or whether she would remain with her sire, to endure his upbraidings as often as the humour for venting them might take possession of him. The diligence continued its way, and Finette shed no GOMIIGdOG SS) (S©)