The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

2 THE COURT OF LONDON nearest way to the abode of Doctor Maravelli. This indi- vidual, in consequence of certain intimations received from Mrs. Ranger, had been holding himself in readiness for three or four days past to be summoned at a moment’s notice on the secret and delicate business for which he had been duly retained. Mrs. Ranger therefore found him at home and prepared to accompany her forthwith. Before they set out, however, Mrs. Ranger bound a silk handkerchief over the doctor’s eyes. Then, with every appearance of the most solemn earnestness, she said, “ I now adjure you, by the oath you have already taken, not to move this bandage from your eyes, nor allow it to shift its position without at once informing me.”’ ‘“T repeat the oath I have previously given you,” said the doctor. ‘‘ No sentiment of idle curiosity ever animates me. Besides, apart from this bandage, the blackness of the night is such that if the clue were once lost to the route we are about to take, 1t would be impossible to distinguish or recognize any specific locality, even were I not blind- folded at all.’’ Mrs. Ranger made no response, but taking the doctor’s hand, she led him forth from his house. On emerging thence, she conducted him up one street and down another, so that he might at least believe that she was sincere in her expressed — desire that he should remain utterly in the dark as to his ultimate destination. On the other hand, Doctor Maravelli, in spite of his repudiation of any undue curiosity, had all along resolved to ascertain, if possible, not only the house to which he was to be taken, but also who his patient might be. That she was a lady of rank he had naturally concluded, not only from the apparent pains taken to hush up the consequences of her frailty, but also from the liberality with which he was paid for his services. Being a thoroughly unprincipled man, greedily avaricious on the one hand, and an inveterate gambler on the other, his fingers were ever itching for the contact of that precious coin which, by a strange idiosyncrasy, he would lavish again in profusion at the gaming-table. His profession was eminently lucrative, but his habits made him ever needy; and thus, although well paid to keep his oath inviolate in the present instance, he nevertheless from the very first made up his mind to penetrate it if possible, so that when the honour of his fair CONNIE OCOOKS (E(0)