The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. a 209 ——, re SELLE te eee ee t = i a = oe os_ Gta 7 ” A iM \\ i} 7 \ Seay | | vhf ~ *% ay A &* 4 A ' a i ~ ~ —. -_ a - = = — So > > = ‘ ~~ < WN Sen ; . : ‘aS = ‘ ' ‘ ~~ adtatet ts. T \8 nia aetmhak SUC IEP Sigal = bi Dae} Tt | ‘ting her fair brow at the same time with a kiss; “welcome to your future home! Lawrence,” he added, turning to the man, “let breakfast be instant! y served; and let your wife conduct my granddaughter to her apartment.’’ The old lady overwhelmed the unsuspecting victim with those fussy attentions which attached servants love to lavish upon the children of the house where they so long have served, and whom they love as if they were their own. The detestable hypocrite would carry the baby, as she led the confiding Ellen to a large handsomely-furnished chamber on the second floor, opening with glass doors upon the leads of the mansion, adorned with statues in lead, end rows of plants in old-fashioned vases, ranged chicfly round a large skylight which lit the principal staircase. Here she left her for a few moments to herseif whilst break- fast was being prepared; directly after which, the lawyer returned to town to inform his worthless em- ployer that his commands had been obeyed. “*Tis well,” exclaimed Lord Moreton, his eyes flashing in the anticipated triumph of his unmanly vengeance, “We must, if possible, keep up the 27 delusion to the last. You will return to her again, and state that it is impossible that Gerald should visit her for the present, but that in the morning she | may expect him,” “ And in the morning ?’’said the lawyer, inquiringly. “ Long ere it dawns,” replied his lordship, “ she shall have been mine. I will sate my hatred of her husband in her dishonour; the raging passion she has excited in my breast within her trembling arms, Doubtless,” he added, with a smile, for the contem- plation pleased him, “she will be outrageously des- perate at first—most wemen are so—but time soon reconciles them to the man who has once possessed their person.” Before returning to Blackheath, Prim, like a care- ful man of business, visited his office, for it was term time, and he had many delicate matters in hand, clients to defend, others to prosecute, to say nothing of a profitable chancery suit or two which he inherited from his predecessor, and looked npon as annuities to be transmitted most probably to his successor, What matter if the claimants starved, so that the legal harpies thrived ? mG FOURTH sERIES — st ge | S (E)