The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

and reached the front door, But tu er dismay, j she funnd it locked—and the key was not there! With a sickening sensation at the heart anda cold ‘tremor passing all ever her, she felt as if she were about to faint. But once again sum- moning all her presence of mind to her aid, she revolved in an instant the only alternatives that now lay before her. Onc was to throw hersclf at the Canun’s fect and demand his mercy: the other was to descend into the lower regions of the establishment in the hope of finding a means of egress. She decided upon this latter course—be- cause, if it failed, it would then be time to appeal to the Roverend Bernard Audley, or else en- deavour to raise an alarm by shricks and eries. Onoce more traversing the hall, and passing unper- - ceived by the door of the parlour in which the cler- gyman was seated with his book and his wine, Louisa reaumed possession of the lamp and descended the kitchen ashe Not a sound was heard—not a voice 10 inet her ears; and she felt asanred that the servants must have retired to rest. This she considered to be the moro probable on account of the lateness of the hour. On reaching the bottom of the stairs, she paused and listened. ‘Then, as the silence remained unbroken, she began to explore the basement-premises of the building. Advancing a few steps—then pausing to listen—then advancing again—now trembling all over—then with suspended breath and upheaved bosom,—now shading the light with her hand—then holding it high up to throw its beams forward,—thus was it that the maiden passed through an infinity of anxieties and alarms, all in the space of 3 few short minutes, 7 She had the satisfaction, however, of becoming assured that the servants had retired to reat; and her scarch was presently rewarded by the discovery of a docr leading into a yard at the back of the house. But scarcely had she opened this door, whes ~ comliclbooks.com