The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

| | . | | A PLOT 63 the two foreign girls had displayed. ‘‘ And what is more, she has had the impudence to write to me.” ‘‘ And what does she say? ” asked Lettice, full of curiosity. “She says that through the generous intervention of a friend whom Heaven sent her, she has been snatched away from a life of infamy. Only think of this. She, who — as well as you, my dears — revelled in every luxury, eat and drank of the best, and wore the handsomest clothes — ”’ “But does she threaten you?” inquired Lettice. “No, and that is the only consolation in the matter,’’ responded Madame Angelique, somewhat softened as she thought of it. ‘‘ She says that her parents received her with open arms, and that as they at once assured her an everlasting veil should be drawn over her past, they pressed her for no explanations in respect to her career since she had left them.”’ ‘“‘ And of course she does not want to make a noise about it?’ observed Lettice. ‘‘ But why did she write to you? ” “To state that as she is disposed to practise the utmost forbearance, and never allude to me or my proceedings, she stipulates that on my part I will refrain from ever mentioning Eveleen O’Brien as having been an inmate of this house.” “‘ Ah! I suppose she means to become respectable now,”’ interjected Lettice, with a contemptuous smile. “And perhaps she hopes to marry,” exclaimed Madame Angelique. ‘‘ But perchance things won’t go on quite so pleasantly as she anticipates. Look here, my dear Lettice. It is of the utmost. consequence we should discover who the man was that extorted those revelations from you the other day, down in the country. It is dangerous that there should be a person knowing so much about you as he evidently did, and therefore about this establishment, and we on the other hand not to have the slightest conjecture who he is.”’ “‘ Perhaps he is the same kind friend,” observed Lettice, sneeringly, ‘‘ whom Heaven sent to restore Eveleen to her parents? ” “ That’s exactly what I think,” exclaimed Madame An- gelique, “‘ because her flight and that affair down at Oak- lands took place pretty nearly at the same time. Now, Eveleen knew certain things about the counterpart dresses, and she knew also that you were going off to the neighbour- hood of Oaklands — ”’ “And therefore it is only reasonable to conclude,” ex- ECORNICLOO Ss (CE) mM