The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 396: what you’re looking at

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

THE SNAKE WITH THE LOVELY SKIN — 365 lar column in the journal which she held in her hand, “‘ con- tains the welcome tidings of Caroline Walters’s death; and when that young woman breathed her last yesterday in Newgate, the only being whose malignity or whose revela- tions we had cause to fear ceased to exist.” ‘But suppose that Caroline and Arthur Eaton have en- countered each other in Newgate? ’”’ said Lord Holderness. ‘Depend upon it, Arthur has his suspicions relative to yourself, if not with regard to me; and if Miss Walters has told him all she knew or suspected — ”’ ‘It is by no means probable that they met,’’ interrupted Fernanda, an expression of uneasiness now glittering for a moment in her eyes. ‘“‘ At all events,” she continued, with the resolution of one who was determined not to meet appre- hensions half-way, but rather to discourage the slightest concession to the influence of such fears, “‘ at all events, if such an encounter had taken place in prison between Arthur Eaton and Caroline Walters, the newspaper would have most likely made some mention of the circumstance; or else,”’ she added, in a lower tone, and with a sudden darkening of the looks, ‘‘ we should have been already arrested.” ‘And we shall not be safe until after the trial of young Eaton,” said Lord Holderness, now shuddering visibly; for that transitory terror on his wife’s part was not lost upon him, and he failed not to catch its infection. ‘‘ I wish to Heaven we were two days older.” “In two days,”’ observed Lady Holderness, with a solem- nity of tone and manner not very usual with her, ‘‘ we shall be either safe and happy, or else dead.” “ Dead!’’ echoed her husband, with a spasmodic start; ‘“ what mean you, Fernanda? ”’ ““T mean,’ she responded, “that if anything should transpire to menace our safety and threaten an exposure, we will anticipate our doom — ”’ “By suicide? ’? murmured her husband, with the deep voice and the shuddering look of concentrated horror. “To be sure!” ejaculated Fernanda. ‘Should you shrink from such a course? Or do you prefer death upon the scaffold? ”’ “My God! what alternatives,” cried the wretched noble-— man, trembling from head to foot, and his naturally sallow countenance becoming absolutely ghastly. ‘‘ But you do COnNIECLOOKS (©)