The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

PATRICIAN LADY AND PLEBEIAN GIRL _ 157 words of Fernanda’s speech, and also curled her lip gently as she uttered them. : ‘You are determined to quarrel with me, Caroline,’ said Lady Holderness, now condescending to smile with a partial degree of affability. ‘‘ But this is too absurd. What possible benefit will accrue to either of us by charges and counter- charges of a disagreeable nature? ‘Tell me how I can serve you. Do you require money, advice — ” “‘ Neither,”’ interrupted Caroline, in a peremptory manner. “But I am glad that we have met, because my ideas have all on a sudden been turned into a thoroughly new channel, respecting certain events that until within this hour have seemed buried in the most profound and impenetrable mystery.” ‘“‘ And those events?’ said Fernanda, inquiringly; but despite of all her efforts to maintain a dignified composure, the strong woman was shaken from head to foot by cruel alarm and apprehension, ay, and not only from head to foot, but to the innermost recesses of her haughty and impious soul. “ Those events!’’ echoed Caroline, in a voice of cruel triumph. “ Oh, it is not necessary to particularize them, lady, unless it be to observe that as surely and certainly as I am innocent of the death of Mrs. Lindley the midwife, so is Arthur Eaton guiltless of the murder of William Dudley! ”’ _ And having thus spoken, Caroline Walters was hastening from the room, when Fernanda sprang forward and caught her violently by the arm, saying in a deep and strangely altered voice, ‘“ We must not part yet, young woman, nor in this manner.’ But Pepcind would have broken forcibly away from the patrician lady, had not a sudden moaning and sobbing met her ears and caused her to turn her head. Then she beheld Lord Holderness convulsed with overpowering emotions, rocking to and fro on the sofa where he had flung himself, and covering his face with his hands. ‘What does your ladyship require of me? And why do you detain me? ”’ demanded Caroline. “ Let us be friends, dear friends once again, as we were at the midwife’s,’”’ said Fernanda, still in that altered and agitated voice, and with a manner so troubled that she no longer attempted the vain task of concealing it. COA GC loo “eS (GO)