The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

78 REYNOLDS’ WORKS along the stone corridor to turn the massive key and fasten the heavy bolts which secured in his cell that captive who, nevertheless, would not have issued forth if every door of the prison had stood open. ‘““T hope, my lord,” said the governor, in a low, sympa- thizing voice, “‘ that your unfortunate brother was grateful for this visit? ’”’ “Do not question me,’”’ replied the duke, petulantly. ‘Which is the way out?’”’ for the very atmosphere of that prison seemed horribly oppressive to the wretched March- mont. “This way, my lord,” said the governor. “ It was toward one of the condemned cells that your Grace was hastening —”’ The duke could scarcely repress a cry of anguished terror at the words which had just smitten his ear, and he rushed into the diverging passage, as if wildly anxious to escape from the air he was now breathing. The governor of course attributed all this display of powerful emotions on the duke’s part to a sense of affliction on his brother’s account, and he begged his Grace to walk into his parlour and take some refreshment. But the duke gave no response, and issuing from the gaol, flung himself into the cab, in a state of mind that need not to have been envied by any wretch ever com- ing forth from that same prison to perish on the black scaffold erected outside. The driver asked whither he should proceed, and the duke answered, unconscious of the reply which he was giving. He had mentioned Belgrave Square, and thither the cab accordingly went. Mr. Price, Coleman’s clerk, still followed at a little distance, until he at length beheld the duke enter his own mansion in Belgrave Square, from all the windows of which a flood of lustre was pouring forth, for there was a grand entertainment at Marchmont House that evening. The duchess was receiving the élite of the aristocracy, and the splendid saloons were thrown open for the accommoda- tion of the numerous guests. There was dancing in the state apartment, there was play in the card-rooms, and the picture- galleries, brilliantly lighted, were the resorts of the loungers from the saloons themselves. The intelligence of Lord Clan- don’s arrest had only just reached the mansion; it began to be rumoured amongst the domestics, but to the company it was as yet unknown. When the duke alighted from the Gomicdoc “S (E()