The Argosy — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

278 The Missing Rubves. She entered the carriage and William shut her in. The girl climbed lightly up to the box beside the driver, and the horse moved on at a brisk pace. Quite happy, and absorbed in self, Madame Valerot scarcely noticed a package that was lying on the opposite seat. It looked like a draper’s parcel, not very large, and tied up neatly with string. How merry seemed the streets of London on this fair night in June! Lamps twinkling down long vistas; chance lights shining across the tall houses; soft mists gathering over the whole scene. And then the ceaseless roar of wheels; the moving of vast crowds ; the everlasting stir of restless life. Pauline, in her gay mood, was ready to enjoy it all. The small windows of the carriage were both open, but it was a close, ugly conveyance, and had a stuffy smell. She drew her shawl around her shoulders and sat forward to get a little fresh air. The coachman turned at length into a narrow side street, murky and dim. But Pauline was little acquainted with the by-ways of town, and did not concern herself about the route that he was taking. She had leaned back upon the cushions again. ‘The June evening was fresh and chill. <A little wind was rising, creeping through the air with a cold breath that was not like the sigh of summer. She shivered and muffled herself in the shawl. The carriage came suddenly to a standstill. And then in an instant the door was opened and the ruddy young woman got in. ‘‘ A thousand pardons, madame,” said the girl in a flurried tone. *‘T am anxious about the parcels. ‘There should be two parcels. Madame de Busigny will never forgive me if one is lost. It is not here! Pray pardon, madame! It must be on your seat.” Astonished, startled and annoyed at the girl’s intrusion, Pauline was about to protest against all this fuss. But what was going to happen? ‘The young woman was on the seat by her side—was hold- ing her with a grasp of 1ron—was pressing a handkerchief close to her face. It was all a bad dream, there was no young woman—no carriage—only a strange blank that seemed to be the end of every- thing. A loud singing in the ears, a vague impression of strong light— these were the sensations which accompanied Madame Valerot’s — return to consciousness. She found herself placed on a chair, in a room of moderate size, sparingly and shabbily furnished. ‘The blind was drawn closely down, shutting out the last faint glow of the summer sky; and the light which had dazzled her eyes came from the strong glare of a paraffin lamp, on a table under the window. Two men were inthe room. One of them was standing near the table, so that the lamp-light shone full upon his face. He was a tall man, of a stately presence, pale and sallow; and his dark eyes COMIC OOOKS. GO