The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

o04 REYNOLDS’ WORKS all its customs, proceeding of her own accord to your country- seat, leaving her servants behind her, discarding for the time being her own habitual costume, having English dresses made “expressly for the purpose, — why, who on earth would believe her tale if she were to proclaim that she had been inveigled into a snare? Shall not I be ready to stand forward to give my own version of the manner in which the arrangement was effected between herself and me? Shall I not at once boldly affirm that I was a messenger of love from your Grace to her, and that she accepted the overture and went to the appointment? Make her understand all this, my lord, and rest assured that she will rather seek to veil her shame as closely as possible than to expose it uselessly.”’ “Yes, the plot is admirable,’ exclaimed the duke, “ and you are the most accomplished of useful women. But when is the affair to come off? ”’ ‘| will write to the lady to-morrow,” responded Madame Angelique, ‘‘ and I have no doubt that on the day after she will repair to Oaklands. It is for your Grace to despatch a messenger with suitable instructions, so that she may be received by the servants in the light of an honoured guest at whose disposal the entire establishment is to be placed so long as it may suit her to sojourn there.’ ‘““T will send off the necessary instructions the very first thing in the morning,”’ responded the duke. ‘‘ And now, to discourse upon another subject, what about Lettice Rodney? ”’ ‘““ Ah, the ungrateful wretch!” cried Madame Angelique, with an indignation that could not possibly have been oreater if it were based on the most honest grounds, “ to serve me in such a way, after all I had done for her! ”’ ‘“ Well, but what has become of her? ” inquired the duke. “That is exactly what I should like to ascertain, but she has been spirited away, no one knows where. They say she is penitent. Penitence indeed!’’ and with as much disgust as if it were a heinous crime the bare idea of which thus excited her, Madame Angelique screwed up her countenance into a strange contortion. “Well, relieve your feelings with a glass of wine,’’ said the duke. Madame Angelique followed his Grace’s counsel, and went on to exclaim, ‘ Who would have believed it? Most people, when their girls get into trouble, leave them to get \ Gomichbooks (EO) nm