The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

THE SUPPER DEVOURER 67 The Hangman escaped from the house without any further molestation, and several minutes elapsed before the hall porter came to himself. He then raised an alarm that some robber had been in the house, and as the servants rushed about in all directions, the maid appointed to wait on Er- nestina sped to her room. There she found her ladyship dangerously ill; but nothing could equal the young woman’s amazement when she beheld the dishes completely cleared and the decanters emptied. ‘‘ Heavens! the robbers have been here! ’”’ she exclaimed, in surprise and alarm. Lady Ernestina Dysart, now recovering partially, and perceiving the necessity of telling some tale, at once corrobo- rated the maid’s belief, representing that she had fallen into a swoon on discovering a robber in her room, and that she was only now beginning to shake off the effects of the terrific fright she had sustained. In this manner was not only the absence of the supper accounted for, but likewise the serious illness which Lady Ernestina experienced. (C(O) nn) (C KS a! inn