The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

56 THE COURT OF LONDON under the circumstances, he of course encouraged all their friendly advances. Thus by the time the party reached Boulogne to lunch, the ladies were already on very good terms with their hand- some travelling-companion; and when they stopped in the evening to dine at Bernay, it would have seemed as if they had been acquainted for a whole year instead of a single day. Indeed Jocelyn was more than once inwardly and secretly vexed at the somewhat meaning looks of tenderness which Agatha cast upon him; but as those sidelong and furtive glances were instantaneously with- drawn when she saw that they were noticed, he tranquillized himself with the hope that any feeling which the young lady might have so suddenly conceived toward him would not be conveyed by a more marked demonstration. After dinner the journey was resumed toward Abbeville, where it was proposed to rest for the night. The sun sank into its western home, and obscurity veiled the road which our travellers were pursuing. Mrs. Ranger got nervous about robbers, upon the chances of an attack from whom she would nevertheless persist in talking, while Julia, already much wearied, dozed by her side. Jocelyn sus- tained the conversation with the old lady and Emma; but Agatha had gradually ceased to take part in the discourse, and soon became altogether silent. It was very dark inside the vehicle, and Jocelyn soon experienced a new cause for annoyance. For while he was endeavouring to reason Mrs. Ranger out of her fears, which, whether affected or not, seemed to be augmenting, he felt Agatha’s head gently droop upon his shoulder. It was true that she had on a plain travelling-bonnet, so that the silk material alone came in contact with him; but still his extreme sense of propriety made him shrink from anything that appeared to approach an undue familiarity. He nevertheless fancied that she must have fallen asleep, and therefore had unconsciously lain her head upon his shoulder; and as the circumstances of travelling may in such eases somewhat mitigate the strict observances to be followed on ordinary occasions, he made due allowances for the present little incident and offered not to disturb his fair companion. But in a few minutes he felt her head gradually moving; then it became still again, and then she suddenly but noise- () (COU IDoOaks (E(0)