The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

DEATH 185 unteered to perform this office, and he entered the apart- ment in which the duke had shut himself. He dared not conceal the fact that he had been entrusted with a letter for fear it should subsequently transpire by some other means, but while appearing to study the language of conciliation, he in reality so framed his speech that it tended to aggravate and embitter his uncle more than ever, if possible, against the duchess. He thus accomplished the result at which he aimed, for the duke positively refused to open his wife’s letter. However, on issuing forth from the duke’s presence, Clandon assured the maid that the duke had read the letter, but that his resolve was not to be shaken. The duchess, seeing that her last hope was gone, then left the house. In the meanwhile Bertram from the village inn had des- patched a letter to the duke, and when Lord Clandon joined him at that tavern, Bertram informed him of the cir- cumstance. The duke received the letter, the contents of which filled him with a bewildering uncertainty. After all, Eliza might be innocent! He sent for Jane, her Grace’s principal lady’s-maid, and from her lips he heard that the duchess had called God to witness her innocence, previous to her departure. Jane, moreover, informed the duke that her Grace’s writing-desk contained certain documents to which she had made allusion in the letter sent by the hand of Lord Clandon. The duke flew to his wife’s boudoir, opened the writing-desk, and read all the letters which gave him a complete insight into the loves of Bertram and Eliza at Oxford. Then a veil fell from his eyes, and he believed that his wife was innocent. He rushed forth from the boudoir, and encountered Lord Clandon, who had just come back from the village after his interview with his brother. There was then a horrible clearness in the mind of the duke, and the conviction smote him that Lord Clandon had been playing a most perfidious game. He bade Clandon follow him into the drawing-room, and there he at once accused him in a manner which made Hugh imagine that his uncle had by some means acquired a positive knowledge of his treachery. He was filled with confusion; the duke beheld his guilt depicted upon his countenance, and he abruptly quitted his nephew in a way which testified all his displeasure. Lord Clandon was horrified on thus beholding a gulf suddenly opening at his own feet and threatening to swallow GomiilGaooks (©)