The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

THE FAMILY VAULT Zire the corpse is discoloured! I’ve seen a vast many bodies in my time, and some few that have been embalmed; but I never saw one that, not being more decomposed than this, was so shockingly discoloured. Besides, not only unnatu- rally discoloured, but also swollen, dreadfully swollen. Ah! it looks uncommonly as if the deceased, whoever he was, had died by poison! ” ‘Well, whose corpse is it?’’ demanded the assistant, somewhat impatiently. ‘“‘ Can’t you make the plate out? Or is the inscription rusted away? ” ‘No, it is tolerably plain,” returned the sexton. ‘ Let me see? The date is 1775, — why, it’s the last Marquis of Bellenden, to be sure, -— her ladyship’s husband,” exclaimed Northwitch. ‘Cover up the remains with something,” cried the Rever- end Mr. Roberts. ‘‘ Here, stay, I will run and fetch a piece of the church mourning from the vestry — ”’ “No, do not trouble yourself,’’ said the marchioness, as she clung to his arm; and the voice in which she spoke was low and hollow. “ Ah! your ladyship is unwell? ” exclaimed Mr. Roberts; and, turning his eyes upon the marchioness, he was startled and shocked at the ghastly expression which her countenance wore. “ Shall I conduct you hence? Let me lead you away. The sickly odour, the dreadful spectacle, and the sexton’s words, — all are enough to overpower your ladyship.”’ ‘“ No, no, I will remain, I feel better now,’ murmured the marchioness. Then, with an almost superhuman effort to crush the feelings that were struggling in her bosom, she turned toward the sexton, saying, “‘ Mr. Northwitch, I should recommend you to be more cautious and guarded for the future in the free and offhand way in which you toss as it were from the tip of your tongue the first words that come uppermost. You should weigh your thoughts before you so glibly give utterance to them. For by proclaiming in so random a manner the very first and of course most incon- siderate impressions which any particular occurrence or spec- tacle may make upon your mind, you may be uninten- tionally the cause of exciting the most disagreeable sus- picions.”’ “T humbly beg your ladyship’s pardon,” said the man, who did not immediately perceive the drift of the noble COnnIECLOOKS (S©)