The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE COURT OF LONDON to show wherefore it was desirable to screen the matter from the public gaze. They then took their departure, and Sir Valentine re- mained with Sampson to deliberate upon the course which they should now pursue for the removal of the body. “Tf you will leave the management of all this to me,”’ observed Larry, after some discussion, “‘I will conduct it with the necessary privacy. My two men yonder, who have already filled up the grave, shall remain in charge of the deceased until night, and I will then come myself, with an undertaker on whom I can rely, and fetch away the remains in a coffin. They shall then be borne to your house, and I must leave you to give your dependents and friends what explanation you think fit.” This arrangement was accepted with much gratitude by Sir Valentine Malvern, and taking his departure from the villa, he procured a vehicle at Blackheath to convey him home to Hanover Square. On arriving at his mansion at about five o’clock in the evening, he at once sent a note to Lord Florimel requesting an immediate call from his lordship; and when the noble- man arrived, Sir Valentine Malvern explained to him all that had taken place. He likewise gave him full particulars of the interview which had occurred with the prince regent on the previous evening, and having concluded his narrative, he said, ‘‘ You must now hasten, my dear Florimel, and make all befitting excuses for my absence this day from your beloved niece. Tell her that having discovered my father’s fate, I now remain at home to mourn in solitude for that death which, though long suspected, has only been proved a certainty within the last few hours. She will appreciate my feelings and will pardon my absence. Relative to all these details which concern herself, your lordship and your excellent lady will best know how to reveal so important a secret to my adored Florence.”’ Lord Florimel remained for some little while discoursing with Malvern upon the events which had thus so singularly transpired within the last four and twenty hours, and the young baronet could not help observing, as he reflected thereupon, that it almost seemed as if Providence had chosen to blend the threads of his own destiny with those of Florence Eaton’s, for it was on repairing to Carlton House. COommicloooks (C(O)