The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

42 THE COURT OF LONDON nation for the outrage thus perpetrated upon herself and me, and also for devising a motive to induce her to maintain a strict silence upon the subject — ”’ ‘“Oh, we can trust you, my dear Mrs. Ranger, upon all those points,” exclaimed Emma. ‘ And though you and I have lost our lovers, Julia,’’ she added, turning to her sister in a laughing manner, ‘“‘ we must congratulate ourselves on the turn which events have taken.” A few hours later, at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was surrounded, as usual, in her breaktfast-parlour, by her six ladies in waiting. Yes, there was not even an exception on this occasion with regard to Agatha Owen. Although but twelve hours had elapsed since she had experienced the pains of maternity, yet did she leave her couch, assume an elegant apparel, and appear in her accustomed place about the person of the Princess of Wales. But then the stimulant which Mrs. Ranger had given her was of such sovereign effect and invigorating qualities, the hand, too, of Mrs. Ranger had so skilfully applied an artificial shade of bloom to the young lady’s pale cheeks, and the arrangements of her toilet were so well combined to prevent the appearance of any diminu- tion in her shape, that it would have been impossible for even the most scrutinizing observer to entertain a suspicion of what had befallen Agatha within the last four and twenty hours. Here, then, may we drop the curtain upon the fitth act of this drama of a night. CORNIClIOO KS (E(0)