The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

LORD CLANDON 193 mistress of which was a widow between thirty and forty years of age. I then bade adieu to the duchess. There was one clasp of the hand, there was one kiss imprinted upon her brow, and I rushed away, not daring to remain another minute.’’ Again did Lord Clandon pause, and so full of pathos had been his voice as he told this affecting tale, that there was scarcely an unmoistened eye in the court. ‘Yes, I fled precipitately,” he at length resumed, “‘ an- -guish and remorse in my heart, for I felt that I had been the cause of this wrecked happiness and ruined reputation which had overtaken one so innocent, so young, so beautiful. I sped to the nearest seaport on the eastern coast; I em- barked on board the first ship which I found ready to bear me away from a country that I resolved never to revisit. I pictured to myself a terrific exposure at Oaklands, the direst accusations fulminating against my character, my reputation gone, my prospects blighted, and the name of Bertram Vivian handed over to universal execration as that of the seducer of his own uncle’s wife. It was a Dutch ship in which I embarked, and I arrived at Rotterdam. At the very moment of entering the port, a large ship was clearing out for the Indian Seas. Unhesitatingly I took my passage on board of her, and favoured by prosperous winds, the voyage was made in an exceedingly short space of time to Java. Thence I repaired to Calcutta, with the determination of offering my services to the Anglo-Indian government, for the funds which I had in my possession when leaving England were now nearly exhausted. I had assumed the name of Clement Redcliffe, and I should add that my arrival at Calcutta had outstripped all British intelligence of events passing at the time I left my own native country, so that I still continued in the completest ignorance of the horrible tragedy which had occurred at Oaklands. ‘““T must here observe that it happened, when I was en- gaged in a diplomatic capacity at Washington, prior to that fatal visit of mine to England which had led me to Oaklands, I had obtained certain intelligence in respect to the policy of the United States Government toward Japan and China. I learned on my arrival at Calcutta that there were flying rumours of this contemplated policy, but no one seemed ~ to understand the precise bearings thereof. I waited upon COnnICLOOOKS (©)