The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

(2 THE COURT OF LONDON although we accept his handsome present through proper courtesy, we are nevertheless grieved that he should have endeavoured to make any return for such trifling hospitality as we were enabled to afford him. We are not aware of any engagement for this evening; but at the same time we must beg you to observe to Mr. Harley that it is quite unnecessary for him to take the trouble of calling merely for the purpose of explaining the motive of his sudden departure the other night.’ ‘Your message, Miss Clarendon, shall be duly delivered,”’ said the valet, with another low bow. ‘“‘ My master in- structed me to inquire after the ladies who met with the accident in their travelling-barouche. He hopes — ”’ ‘They were fortunate enough to escape without injury,”’ observed Octavia; ‘‘ and they are no longer beneath our root.” ‘“ Pardon me for having so long intruded upon you, Miss Clarendon,” said the valet; and, with another obeisance, he took his departure. The hampers which he brought with him had been de- posited by the hackney-coachman in the passage during the interval occupied by the preceding colloquy, and the sisters now proceeded to examine them. ‘There was a quantity of the finest forced fruit, which could not have been purchased in Covent Garden Market for less than twenty guineas; and there were two brace of pheasants and a couple of hares. The sisters were much gratified by the delicate attention exhibited by Mr. Harley; and Octavia’s heart smote her for having so emphatically denounced his conduct in quitting them with such abruptness on the night when they first formed his acquaintance. She even looked forward with secret pleasure to his promised visit for the evening; but she did not suffer this sentiment to become known to her sister. At about five o’clock Octavia proposed that they should make such improvements to their toilet as she alleged to be suitable for the reception of a guest who was evidently accustomed to move in the best society; and Pauline, though more indifferent in the matter than her sister, readily assented. They accordingly assumed their best apparel; and they did not forget to adorn themselves with the jewelry which they had received from Mrs. Smith. Never had either Octavia or Pauline appeared to greater ad- ECORNIE DOO KS m Eo