The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

THE EXPLOSION 33 ‘‘This is too impudent,” ejaculated the duke, goaded almost to frenzy, and not knowing how to act. “Oh, Mr. Ashton, what have you said?” cried the duchess, all the sources of her affliction becoming turned into a new channel. “ It is impossible his Grace could have done this wilfully. Oh, no! you wrong him; you wrong him, I can assure you.” “TI see that it becomes necessary for me to speak out,”’ said Christian, with the same firmness of look, tone, and manner as before. ‘‘ My lord, Lettice Rodney has confessed everything, and here are proofs —”’ ‘“¢ Enough,” exclaimed the duke, bounding forward to seize upon the parcel whence our young hero had just torn off the wrapper. “‘ Good heavens! ’’ cried the duchess. ‘‘ My own dresses.” “ Ah!” said Amy Sutton, astounded at what she also thus beheld. “ No,” cried Christian, “‘ they are not your Grace’s dresses, but they are counterparts — duplicates — the use and pur- port of which his lordship can but too well explain.”’ Amy Sutton hurried from the room, forgetting to close the door behind her, and the duke, clutching Christian by the arm, whispered to him in a hoarse voice, ‘‘ Not another word, I conjure you.” Then he instantaneously added, aloud, ‘‘ There is something extraordinary in all this, but it shall be investigated. Of course I at once admit — ”’ “What your Grace cannot deny, and never ought to have impugned,” interrupted Christian boldly, ‘ her Grace’s innocence. ”’ “For Heaven’s sake,”’ said the duchess, who had hastened to close the door, of which opportunity her husband had availed himself to whisper that urgent adjuration in Chris- tian’s ear, — “‘ for Heaven’s sake let this dreadful transac- tion be calmly and dispassionately explained! ” “ Yes,” cried Amy Sutton, who now burst back again into the room, with a degree of excitement she had never before in her life displayed, ‘‘ your Grace’s dresses are safe in your own toilet-chamber. But these—the very same, or at least the closest resemblance,’ and she hastily inspected the contents of the parcel which Christian, had thrown upon the table. “Now hear me,” said the Duke of Marchmont, whose EGOMIIGIOO SS (EO) mM