The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

200 THE COURT OF LONDON manner; and alighting from the carriage, she entered the homely parlour to which they escorted her. Having ordered some refreshment, she desired that a message should be sent to the village rector, requesting him to favour her with a call; and as the reverend gentleman lived within a couple of hun- dred yards of the tavern, he speedily waited upon the marchioness. ‘“‘ Mr. Roberts,” said her ladyship, when the usual compli- ments and greetings had been exchanged, “ I am desirous to visit the church for a particular purpose. Indeed, I pur- pose to descend into the vault of the Bellenden family; and I therefore request you to procure the necessary assistance to raise the stone and light me into the receptacle of the dead. # You will perhaps also be good enough to accompany me, as I may need a witness with regard to the investigation that I am about to make.” | “ Your ladyship’s commands shall be promptly attended to,’’ said the Reverend Mr. Roberts, by no means startled at the nature of the instructions he had received, inasmuch as he at once comprehended that the object of the marchion- ess bore reference to the lawsuit in which she was engaged with the Montgomery family. ‘‘ Of course your ladyship is aware that the vaults have already been visited and the registers examined by agents sent down from London on the part of Earl Montgomery and Lady Holderness? ” | “IT am no stranger to the fact which you mention,” said the marchioness. ‘ Indeed, I have seen the affidavits which have been put in by my opponents, and which embody all the evidence obtained by Lord Montgomery’s agents when they visited Bellenden church. But I believe that his lord- ship himself came down in the first instance, did he not? ”’ “ He did, my lady,’ answered Mr. Roberts. ‘ It was about three months ago, as nearly as I can guess; but his lordship only remained in the village for a few hours, during which he was making all kinds of inquiries amongst the very oldest inhabitants of the place.”’ ‘* And those inquiries were relative to the traditions of the Bellenden family?’ said the marchioness, interrogatively. “Precisely so,” returned the clergyman. ‘‘ Just before his lordship took his departure he called upon me andsaid—?”’ “Tell me everything that fell from the earl’s lips on that occasion,’’ exclaimed the marchioness. ‘ Consult your CONNIEIOOKS m