The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

wy THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT 206 i (JULIA AND MARY OWEN.) men- Therefore, availlog myself of the fact that he was sojourning in France under a false name,— @ circumstance rendering him amenable to the law,—I have been compelled in my capacity as guardian of the public morals, to incarcerate him within these walls.” “I dare not disbelieve you, sir—I cannot doubt your word,” said Louisa, gazing vacantly around, as if her senses were abandoning her: “ but set it appears to me so impossible—indeed, it looks 80 like a monstrous dream——” “ Alas ! my dear young lady,” said Lord Leveson, as he took her hand, with much apparent kinduess, “you perceive that it is but too true! Besides which, so high a fanctionary and so honoufable a man as the Prefect of Police would not possibly be guilty of an injustice, on the one hand, towards the person calling himselé Jocelyn Loftus—nor, on the other hand, would he sovuselessly deceive, or 50 wantonly afflict a young dameel like you.” “ Aasuredly not,” excisinad the Prefect. © Bat I forgive these doubts—this uncertainty—this in- credulity, which Miss Stanley displays. They are the evidences of that generous confidence and sub- lime trast which the loving heart naturally reposes in the object of its affections. But as it is my painful duty to put an end to all your doubts, como hither, young lady—come hither |” Thus speaking, the Prefect opened a side-door, and led the way into 8 little cabinet, or office, where a lamp was burning on a table. And upon this same table Jay. an enormous book with a black cover. I¢ was thicker and larger than the thickest and largest Bible ever used in a Protestant Church: and upon the back of the binding, which was at least a foot wide, were stamped in dingy gold let- ters these words—Le Livre Noir; which, being translated into English, mean, “ The Black Book." Opening this huge volome, and hastily turoing over the leaves, which were fall of manuscript ea- comliclbooks.com ™