The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

26 THE COURT OF LONDON could consistently and properly meet it, but its very strange- ness, and the abruptness with which it was made, so com- pletely confused, or rather bewildered the young lady, that she held the gate open with her fair hand, and the gentleman, taking this as a proof of assent, hurried into the house. Scarcely, however, had he thus glided past Octavia, when she was struck with the impropriety of which she had been cuilty, and hastened after him. On entering the villa, she mechanically closed the door behind her; and as all this was the work of a few moments, the driver of the yellow coach did not in reality perceive which way the gentleman had so suddenly disappeared. Pauline was seated in the little front parlour, which was very neatly furnished, and lghted with a lamp, and the supper, consisting of a cold joint, was upon the table. The young lady was both astonished and alarmed when she heard the heavy steps of a man rush into the house, and she started from her chair with an ejaculation of terror. The stranger entered the parlour, and seemed immediately struck with the exquisite beauty of Pauline Clarendon, and he had scarcely given utterance to a few words of apology for his abrupt intrusion, when Octavia made her appearance. If the gentleman in the cloak had been seized with admira- tion of the younger sister, he was now positively amazed at the queenlike loveliness of the elder; but almost instantly perceiving the awkward position in which he stood with regard to these young ladies, and the embarrassment which they experienced at this adventure, he hastened to give some explanation which might relieve them from so unpleasant a feeling. “Tam well aware, charming ladies,’ he said, in a smooth and courteous tone, and with a fascination of manner which almost immediately disarmed them of. any resentment which his intrusion had excited, ‘‘ I am well aware that my con- duct must appear most rude, most ungentlemanly, most unjustifiable in your eyes, but I trust that you will give me leave to rest myself for a few minutes; and in the meantime I shall be enabled, I hope, to satisfy you that I am incapable of offering you a wanton insult.” While he was uttering the last words of his speech, Octavia exchanged with her sister a hasty glance, which showed that the same thought had simultaneously struck them both; COMmmicoookSa