The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

198 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘“ Yes, undoubtedly,” answered Laura, with all the nerv- | ous trepidation of a captive impatient to be free. But scarcely was this rapid colloquy interchanged when a gruff voice, coming from the courtyard below, exclaimed in French, ‘“‘ Shut that window up there, and put out the lights directly,” and at the same time the rattling of a bunch of keys was heard. “Good heavens! ’”? murmured the lady, clasping her hands as if in despair; ‘‘ it is the watchman going his rounds who has thus observed us! ”’ “And now,” said Loftus, in a tone of bitter disappoint- ment, ‘“‘ we must look upon all our hopes as annihilated.” ‘““ Not so, not so,”’ ejaculated Laura, as if suddenly inspired with new courage; “‘ but we must assuredly abandon our project for this night, and in the morning I will ascertain 93 from the old charwoman the precise hours at which that ~ watchman goes his rounds. We can then conduct our operations accordingly to-morrow night.’’ ‘“‘ Be it so,” said Loftus, well pleased to observe that Miss Linden, who evidently knew far more concerning the ar- rangements of the prefecture than he did, was not disposed to resign herself to despair. ‘“ Now then, Number 15 there! are you going to put out those lights?’ exclaimed the gruff voice of the watchman from the courtyard below; and again did he clank his keys, as if backing his words by the sounds of the emblems of authority. ‘““My good friend,’ said Jocelyn, approaching the casement, which still remained open, ‘“‘ this is the first time that ever I have been ordered to extinguish my candles — ”’ ‘“ But if you have been allowed to keep them burning, it was only through an indulgence, and not as a right,” interrupted the watchman, doggedly. ‘Ts it because you observed the window open that you now seek to curtail that indulgence?’ asked Loftus, in as mild and as conciliatory a tone as he could possibly adopt. “Well, I must say that it does look rather suspicious,” returned the watchman, curtly; ‘‘ and therefore, if you want to avoid being reported to the prefect in the morning, you will at once do as I bid you, by shutting that window and putting out those lights.’’ ‘For Heaven’s sake, keep not the man in parley, Mr. CONNIE OO! KS (E(0)