The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

THE LADY AND ‘THE: PAGE O29 ‘Oh, my lord,’ I exclaimed, ‘ torture me not with this as- sumed ignorance of the past, but tell me who and where is the lady that I long to claim as my mother!’ ‘* Young man,’ responded the nobleman, ‘ it 1s useless for you to address me in this manner. Let it be sufficient for you that the romantic singularity of the present occurrence which has led you to mistake me for another has so far enlisted my sympathy that I will prove your friend.’ He then passed rapidly on through the hall, but ere he issued forth from the palace, I inquired of a fellow page who made his appearance there at the moment, who that nobleman was. ‘ Lord Petersfield,’ was the answer.”’ “Lord Petersfield! my father’s trustee, my brother’s guardian, my mother’s intimate friend,’’ exclaimed Juliana. » *“ But I ought to have suspected as much, knowing that it was he who recommended you to Lady Saxondale. Proceed, dear Frank, proceed.’’ “That Lord Petersfield was he whom I had seen in my earlier years, I felt convinced,’ resumed the youth, ‘ not- withstanding his denial. Wherefore should he have proffered me his interest — he even used the word friendship — unless I had that claim upon him? But what connection was there between him and the lady whom I regarded as my mother? Was he a relation or merely a friend? Vain queries were these that I put to myself, and how futile were all the con- jectures they raised up. But without dwelling at too great. a length on this part of my narrative, let me hasten on to relate another incident. ‘A few weeks after I had thus encountered Lord Petersfield, her Majesty the Queen gave a concert at Buckingham Palace. A thousand eards of. invitation were issued, and at the appointed hour the vicinage of the royal dwelling was crowded with brilliant equipages. My duty on the occasion - placed me in a kind of antechamber through which the com- pany had to pass to the Yellow Drawing-room, where the guests were first to assemble ere the concert-room was thrown open. For some time there was a continuous flow of all the élite of rank and fashion, but for a brief interval there was a pause — a lapse, so to speak — in the living stream, and thus two or three minutes passed ere any fresh arrivals made their appearance. At length I heard footsteps approaching, light, airy steps, and the rustling of dresses. The next CONNIE OOOkKS (SO)