The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

LETTICE RODNEY 15 “I will, my lord,” answered the young woman, “ for I cannot help thinking there must be some terrible mistake. But supposing it should be as your Grace fears, you will pardon me for advising that you take no precipitate step? ” ‘“‘ Amy, I am in that state of mind,” ejaculated March- mont, “‘ when any advice is most welcome — most useful. Yours shall be followed, and I thank you for it. Come; we will watch at this door. Even if we stay for hours we will watch.”’ Marchmont and Amy Sutton accordingly posted them- selves at the door of the room where this conversation had taken place. They kept the door ajar in such a manner that they could both look forth into the corridor, and thus in a profound silence did about twenty minutes pass away. Then a door was heard to open gently at a little distance, the duke nudged his companion as if in an excited manner, and she murmured, ‘‘ Hush! ”’ in the lowest possible tone. Footsteps were heard stealing along the corridor, then the rustling of a dress, and in about a minute a figure passed with apparent cautiousness along. Of course the reader understands full well that this was none other than Lettice Rodney, who was acting in accordance with the instructions she had received from the duke. The black veil was over her head in such a manner as to conceal her hair and shade her features, but there was quite sufficient light in the pas- sage for Amy to recognize the dress, and when the figure had passed, she retreated a few steps into the room. “Now, Amy,” murmured the duke, in a deep, hollow voice, as he also quitted the door and closed it, ‘“‘ what say you? ”’ ‘““T am afraid, my lord, that there can be no doubt of it,” she responded. ‘“ But is your Grace sure that you beheld my mistress enter Mr. Stanhope’s room? ” “Can I doubt my own eyes? ”’ asked the duke, ‘‘ and does not that stealthiness of proceeding which you have just witnessed, — does it not,'I say, confirm all I have told you? ” “And now what will your Grace do?” inquired Amy, who was indeed all but convinced that the mistress whom she had hitherto believed the very pattern of virtue, purity, and frankness was the personification of profligacy, vicious- ness, and hypocrisy. ‘“* What will I do?” cried the duke. ‘‘ What in Heaven’s ECORNICLOO SS (EC) im