The Mysteries of London; or, Revelations of the British Metropolis — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

@F LONDON. 157 notwithstanding the severity of the season, caused her to withdraw from under the bedclothes, Her respiration appeared oppressed, and now and then a slight moan escaped from her half-opened mouth. Anna was sitting up in bed. Her toilet for the night had leng since been completed. She had arranged her hair, and tisd on her cap, but she had not yet lighted the night-lamp; she had not yet sought a refuge from the cold under the soft shelter of her bedclothes. Her eyes shone brightly, and did not show the slightest symptoms of drowsiness, although it was long past her usual hour of going to reat. She was watching, and appeared to be expect- ing the arrival of some one. Whenever a noise occurred in the street, she seemed to listen anxiously, and from time to time she clasped her hands, as though she was praying fervently. The - cause of this anxiety was, that Stephen Macnab had gone out in the morning, and had not been heard from since. It was now long past midnight, and Anna knew not what to think of this pro- longed absence. A loud and violent vapping was now heard at the door. Anna leapt out of bed. The door opening upon the staircase had not been closed. The young girl, trembling with cold, and ashamed at her own eagerness, leapt over the baluster to ascertain who had knocked. | Mrs. Macnab soon appeared upon the staircase —she was also watching: a mother’s love sleeps not more than the tenderness of a loving girl. She met Stephen, just as the servant had opened fs y HPs apt . : comicbooks-com