The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

192 REYNOLDS’ WORKS hours. She accompanied me; we walked side by side, — she did not even take my arm, though she was sinking with fatigue, and I dared not offer it. ‘““ As we entered the village, in the middle of that mo- mentous night, a return post-chaise was passing through. The unhappy duchess abruptly proclaimed her intention of taking it. She entered the vehicle; I sat upon the box. I was resolved that whatsoever might subsequently trans- pire, there should be nothing in my conduct to justify or to enhance the suspicions already pressing so fatally against her. On reaching the town to which the chaise belonged, the duchess bade me ensure her the means of rapid convey- ance to one of the remotest counties of England, it mattered not which. An equipage with four horses was accordingly obtained, and I resolved to see the unfortunate lady to some place of safety before I bade her farewell for ever, for I was afraid lest in her despair she should commit suicide. In- deed,’”’ added Lord Clandon, with a voice full of emotion, ‘““T believe she meditated self-destruction at the moment when I found her weeping so bitterly by the side of that stream.”’ He again paused for a few minutes, and then continued his narrative in the ensuing manner: ‘“The duchess travelled inside the chaise; I continued to ride outside, acting as her guardian and her friend. We travelled on and on for many long, long hours without ceasing, and frequently did I ask the duchess whether she would now stop and find a home in some neighbouring se- clusion. But when she asked where we were, and the answer was first ‘In Warwickshire,’ then ‘ In Derbyshire,’ then ‘ In Yorkshire,’ she still replied, with passionate vehemence, that she would go farther still. And thus, without stopping ex- cept for a few minutes at a time, we reached Cumberland. Then the duchess said that she would halt there; and in- deed, thoroughly exhausted mentally and physically as she was, it would have been impossible for her to proceed farther. At a village near the Scottish border did we thus stop at last, and the duchess besought that I would continue to conceal her name and rank, as both had been concealed . throughout that long, long journey. With the least possible delay the unhappy duchess procured for herself a lodging in a cottage situated about a mile from the village, and the Gomicdoc <S (E()