The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 266: what you’re looking at

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

MR. PAGE’S RESEARCHES 231 ences. I am unmarried, and have long wanted a wife. What do you say? Can you be happy as Mrs. Page? If so the bargain is soon struck and the fortune need not be divi- ded.”’ ‘“ Well, if you're willing to take me as I am,” responded the young woman, unhesitatingly, “I’m sure I cannot object to take you as you are. But we must leave this place together — I mean that we must not separate till the — the —”’ “Till the knot is tied —eh, Julia? ”’ added Mr. Page, throwing his arm around her waist and imprinting a kiss upon her lips, which latter process made him aware of the fact that she had recently partaken of a liquor smelling marvellously like gin; but he was not disposed to be over- mice under the circumstances. “Ves, that is what I meant,” she observed. “ If you are going to make a lady of me, the sooner the better. But my father was a gentleman once, by all accounts,” added Julia, with some degree of mournfulness in her tone, as her thoughts were thus suddenly brought back to the memory of her deceased parent. “By the bye, what is your surname, my dear?” inquired Page. ‘“ Lightfoot,’ was the answer. “T thought so!’ ejaculated the commercial travel- ler. ‘“ What do you mean?”’ demanded the young woman. “ Do you know anything about us? ”’ “ Yes — something — but no matter now,” replied Page. “ We will talk of all that by and by. For the present we have other business to think of. Stay here we cannot — those villains next door would find me out; and yet how to leave the house until your father is buried — ”’ “T have already given directions relative to the funeral, which will take place as privately as possible three days hence,” interrupted Julia. ‘‘ In the meantime we can re- main together; for even if you had not come here to-night and I had never known you, I should not have stayed any longer in the house with the corpse.” “Come, then,” said Page, “‘ we will depart at once. If you have a good strong piece of cord, I will fasten four of these bags around my waist, and my mantle will cover them. Gomi lNOOLK (C©