The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

240 REYNOLDS’ WORKS to behold one so beautiful. She was clad in a mourning garb for those relatives whose death had enriched her, and the sable garments seemed admirably to set off the sylphid symmetry of that tall, slender figure which was so gracile and elegant. But the sweetness and affability of her manner, as she acknowledged the felicitations of her tenants and of her menials, interested them even more than the exquisite beauty of her person, and she was at once endeared to their hearts. Being already well acquainted with the affairs of the Bloomfield estate, she experienced infinite pleasure in con- firming the domestics in their respective situations, and in dealing forth promises amongst the tenants. Improvements were to be effected at her own cost upon their lands, leases about to expire were to be renewed on terms most advan- tageous to the recipients of these favours, and, in a word, those who had gathered to welcome Miss Vincent’s presence had every reason to be satisfied with her demeanour, her conduct, and her language toward them. On the day after her arrival at Bloomfield the youthful heiress went forth, attended by her steward, to visit those points of interest which belonged to the grounds immediately attached to the mansion. She wished to see the spot where her cousin and her aunt had perished, and likewise the village church where their remains slumbered in the family vault. Although the wintry season was close at hand, yet still the scenery was sufficiently picturesque to interest Isabella, and her imagination could easily supply the charms with which it was invested in the summer. As she pro- ceeded with the steward in the direction of the scene of the tragedy, she conversed with him in respect to its details. “To tell you the truth, miss,” said the steward, “‘ I pur- posely suppressed some few facts when examined at the coroner’s inquest. I did not, however, wilfully tell any falsehoods, but I thought that the family honour would be saved by keeping back some of the truth. And so, as you doubtless read, miss, a verdict of ‘ Accidental death,’ was returned, though there is every reason to believe that the real truth was otherwise.” | ‘‘ And what were those facts which you suppressed? ” inquired Isabella, who could not possibly be angry with the Gomiuicbdoc CS (E(©)