The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

THE TREACHEROUS HINDU WOMAN D0 who received it with the vacant docility of an infant, Miss Ashton entered. Believing that all went well, Christina soon retired, and returned to Indora’s boudoir, where she resumed her occupation with the jewels. Meanwhile Sagoonah was nerving herself for the final effort to escape, and now came the most difficult and perilous part of her prearranged plan. The nurse was seated by the side of the couch, with her attention deeply absorbed in a volume of a novel. Her back was partially turned toward Sagoonah, so that she might all the more conveniently catch upon the page the light from the windows. All of a sudden: the sheet ‘was thrown over the nurse’s head, it was: drawn tight across her mouth, and Sagoonah’s voice, speaking with unmis- takable power and. plainness, cried, i Dare to shriek forth | and I will strangle you! ”’ ~The nurse, overwhelmed with terror, ccnil down in a swoon, and the ayah, springing from the bed, convinced ‘herself that the woman was indeed plunged into a state of unconsciousness. She suffered her to lie where she had fallen, and the sheet being taken off her, Sagoonah kept her eyes riveted upon the nurse’s countenance, so that she might be prepared for the first indication of her awakening. With all possible speed did Sagoonah apparel herself in the garments she had taken from Christina’s room, and the nurse gave no sign of life while the ayah was thus per- forming her toilet. It was with an exulting heart that Sagoonah found cir- ‘cumstances to be progressing thus favourably, but still there were risks to be incurred. At any moment Christina might enter the chamber, or she might encounter that young lady upon the stairs. Nevertheless, Sagoonah was prepared for everything rather than renounce the plan which had thus far progressed so satisfactorily. The old nurse was just beginning to give signs of returning consciousness ‘when Sagoonah opened the door, listened for an instant, ‘and then hurried forth. It was a garden bonnet, with a ‘blue gauze veil, which she had taken from Christina’s room, and she drew that:veil over her countenance. Gliding down the stairs, she reached the hall just as a female servant ‘was entering in from the farther extremity. Sagoonah - sped to the front door with a degree of haste which some- what astonished the domestic, who took her to-be Miss CoOnniclooOokKs (S©)