The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

308 - REYNOLDS’ WORKS was going into Hampshire. Thus no one at that villa, except Sagoonah herself, was aware of the princess’s destination; and the princess suspected not that her ayah knew it. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon that the post-chaise entered upon the broad domain of Oaklands, and it presently dashed up to the front of the mansion. Purvis and the other domestics, in obedience to the instruc- tions received from the Duke of Marchmont, were in readi- ness to afford the princess a suitable welcome, and as she alighted from the post-chaise they were astonished at her extraordinary beauty. They had been told that an Oriental : lady of rank, but preserving a strict ancognita, would arrive at Oaklands; and they had pictured to themselves a dark- skinned female, apparelled in some extraordinary fashion. But when they beheld Indora, whose complexion was only of the most delicate duskiness, not exceeding that of a bru- nette, and with a fine-grained skin of transparent clearness, apparelled too in a plain but tasteful travelling-costume, such as an English lady might wear, they were all taken by surprise. Yet in this amazement — an amazement which was produced far more by her extraordinary beauty than by any other circumstances — the respectfulness of their demeanour was not for an instant lost, and she was at once conducted by the old steward to the state drawing-room. There she was waited upon by females of the household, who escorted her to the bedchamber prepared for her recep- tion; and now she put off her travelling costume to apparel herself in a richer and more elegant garb. On descending again to the drawing-room, she intimated a wish to be con- ducted over the mansion, and Purvis was accordingly promptly in attendance. He led her through the various sumptuously furnished apartments, and in due course they reached the picture-gallery. There Indora appeared particu- larly interested by contemplating the portraits of the Duke of Marchmont’s ancestors, and throughout this inspection she conversed with the old steward in the most affable manner. | ‘“T have been made acquainted,” she said, still lingering in the gallery, ‘‘ with that terrible tragedy which is so fear- fully connected with the name of Oaklands. Were you here when it occurred? ” Purvis responded in the affirmative, and Indora proceeded Gomichbooks (E(0) m |