The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 248: what you’re looking at

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

226 THE COURT OF LONDON letter to her husband, telling him everything that had occurred, her motives for so suddenly leaving London, and her unchangeable resolve to withdraw altogether from the theatre of her former triumphs. She reminded him of the many touching scenes which had occurred between them, and which had proved at the time such chastening and salutary episodes amidst the career of dissipation and prof- ligacy that they had been pursuing. She used every argu- ment and called into requisition every possible appeal to persuade Horace to resign the stewardship in the royal household and lose no time in joining her at Canterbury, so that they might debate upon their future plans. With reference to the debts which Horace might have contracted, she stated that Sir Valentine Malvern’s liberality would ensure the speedy settlement of them all, and that, indeed, her half-brother had generously volunteered to become Horace’s banker the moment she hinted to him the existence of such liabilities. Finally she explained the contents of the letters she had written to the prince regent and Miss Bathurst, leaving it to Horace to give just such explanations as he might think fit. In penning this correspondence a large portion of the day was passed. In the evening the family party reassembled again, and now the memories of the past were less painful, and the happiness of the present more real, while the hopes for the future seemed brighter. ; On the following day Mrs. Owen and Mary said farewell and took their departure for Dover, whence they were to embark for the Continent on their way to Geneva. Valentine Malvern also said his adieus to the inmates of the cottage, and set out for London as the bearer of Lady Sackville’s letters. Lilian paid but a brief visit to her sister and nieces this day, and appeared more melancholy than usual; but when affectionately questioned as to the cause, she merely observed that she felt a deep despondency of spirits, as if a presentiment of evil were weighing on her mind, and then somewhat abruptly took her departure. Miss Stanley, for by this name did she still resolve to pass, as the resumption of her real one of Halkin would only excite disagreeable attention amongst the people of Canter- bury, had so far recovered her strength that she was now _ enabled by the assistance of her two nieces to descend from CoOMmiiclooolKks (C(O)