The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 322: what you’re looking at

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

THE EXPLANATION OF A PLOT 305 out again as best they may. But here was I, — with a sense of humanity which no doubt was carried to an extreme, — here was I, my lord, rushing off to Liverpool to see the wretch, and to offer to find her lawyers, and counsel, and all that sort of thing, on condition that she kept my name out of the question; but the prison door was banged in my face, and I was told that Lettice Rodney did not want to see me. Not want to see me, —me, her very best friend! And now I hate her so that I could scratch her eyes out if she came across me.”’ “ But have you no idea,’”’ inquired Marchmont, ‘* who was at the bottom of all those proceedings on her behalf? ‘The newspapers spoke of influential friends —”’ “Yes, and they specially mentioned the name of the Stanleys,”’ responded Madame Angelique. ‘“ Ah, I recollect! I saw something hinted about another person being behind the scenes, but I can’t fancy who it could be.” “T don’t know why,’ said Marchmont, “ but it has occurred to me that the same individual who extorted the confession from Lettice of all that business down at Oak- lands in the winter — whose voice she thought familiar, if you recollect, but whose face she could not catch a glimpse of — may- have been her secret friend throughout this last affair.”’ “ But now that it is all over,’’ cried Madame Angelique, “it is scarcely worth while to bewilder oneself with con- jecture. Fortunately my name did not transpire at the ae a “No, it was fortunate,’ observed the duke. ‘“‘ By the bye, have you heard anything about Eveleen O’Brien? ”’ ‘Ah! there’s another ungrateful wretch,’ exclaimed Madame Angelique, again getting excited over her wrongs. ‘“‘ She too has turned penitent, and I’m sure that if penitence becomes an epidemic, like the cholera or anything of that sort, I shall have to shut up shop. No, not while I have such patrons as your Grace,” cried the infamous woman, thinking it necessary to pay the duke this compliment. Marchmont rose to take his departure, — previous to doing which, however, he placed a roll of bank-notes in Madame Angelique’s hand, as an earnest of his liberality in respect to her precious machinations with regard to the Princess Indora. ) GONG IOO SS (C(O)