The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 341: what you’re looking at

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

394 REYNOLDS’ WORKS threw himself upon a sofa and gave way to his agitated reflections. In a few minutes a domestic entered, saying, ‘The Lady Indora has ordered your Grace’s plain carriage to be immediately gotten in readiness, to take her to the nearest post-town, and she will leave Oaklands in less than half an hour.”’ The duke gave no answer, and the domestic withdrew. Marchmont comprehended wherefore the message had been sent: it was to give him to understand that as Indora was on the point of taking her departure, it was not necessary for him to fulfil the pledge given her in his hastily written note that he would quit the mansion immediately after the interview which he had besought her to grant. The carriage was soon in readiness and the princess de- parted from Oaklands, having left in the hands of Purvis a liberal sum of money to be divided amongst the domestics, although the generality of them little deserved this bounty at her hands, inasmuch as they had been prepared to follow their master’s instructions in respect to supporting the tale of the duchess being beneath that roof. We may observe that munificent indeed was the present which Indora made to the steward for his own special behoof, and she had found an opportunity of expressing her thanks for the well-meant note which he had thrust under her door. But she said nothing to him in respect to the dagger. The Duke of Marchmont beheld Indora’s departure from the drawing-room window, and the instant the carriage drove away, he sped up-stairs to the room which she had occupied. He searched everywhere for that dagger, but he discovered it not; it was nowhere in the chamber. Re- turning to the drawing-room, he was on the point of ringing the bell with a view of putting certain questions to Purvis, but he thought better of it, and repaired to the breakfast- parlour. He had no appetite, but he was sore athirst; his throat felt as if he had been swallowing ashes. He ordered wine, — some choice specimen of the lhght and cooling vintage of the Rhine; and when he had partaken copiously thereof he proceeded to his dressing-room to make some improvement in his toilet. Afterward he wandered out upon his domain, and for hours he reflected upon all that had oe- curred, — or we should rather say that he continued to be har- assed and agitated by a variety of the most painful thoughts, CONNIE NOOO KS