The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 275: what you’re looking at

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THE PREFECT AND HIS GUESTS 255 Mary is harmless enough while thus employed, and while thus buried in that seclusion. But let us now take a peep into Jocelyn’s chamber,’ added the marquis, turning his eyes upon the prefect as he rose from his seat. | ‘IT am at your service, my lord,” said that functionary. ‘‘ Gentlemen, you must excuse us for a few minutes. We cannot take so large a party with us, especially as it appears there is a young lady to accompany us.”’ The Marquis of Leveson and the prefect, now quitting the saloon together, passed into the anteroom where Louisa Stanley was waiting. Her form was enveloped in an ample cloak; and a large bonnet, of the Swiss shepherdess-hat style then in vogue, shaded her features. But at the first glance which the prefect threw upon her he was indeed struck by the extraordinary beauty of her countenance, although the pallor of grief and the restless expression of acute suspense were upon every feature. Nor less was he enabled to remark that the very drapery which concealed her figure also developed its matchless symmetry; and beautiful as the prefect had fancied Julia Owen to be when he saw her on the day she was introduced to the prefecture, he was now instantaneously struck with the fact that her charms were thrown completely into the shade when com- pared with the transcendent loveliness of Louisa Stanley. The thought therefore traversed the prefect’s brain that it would really, after all, be but a little matter of wonder if the mere image of the pure-minded, innocent, and angelic Louisa should preserve Jocelyn’s fidelity immaculate and intact against all the seductive wiles and wanton fascinations of Julia Owen. “This gentleman, Miss Stanley,” said the Marquis of Leveson, introducing the French official to the young lady, ‘igs his Excellency the Prefect of Police; and he will now explain to you, painful though the subject must be, that the individual whom you have known and unfortunately learned to love as Jocelyn Loftus has been incarcerated in the prefecture on account of his grievous immoralities and wild excesses.” ‘“‘ Oh, heavens, if this be indeed true! ”’ exclaimed Louisa, clasping her hands and bursting into tears; but almost instantly wiping away those crystal drops of bitter, bitter anguish, and with a sudden resumption of an air of maiden COI lo" e0)(0\(0) SS) (C©) im