The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

INTREPIDITY 87 had seemed to be strangely mingling with scenes in which his faithless wife and Colonel Malpas also figured. He rubbed his eyes, threw a hasty glance around the room, and on recognizing where he was, all the incidents of the past night came trooping in with rapid march upon his memory. Turning toward his companion, a sudden ejacula- tion of astonishment and dismay burst from his lips when he encountered the arch and mischievous looks, not of the lovely Gertrude, as he had expected, but of his own wife, the Countess Editha! “Heavens! what means that exclamation, Charles? ”’ said her ladyship, affecting to be concerned and even terrified at the suddenness of her husband’s cry. “Ts it a dream? Can it be a dream?” muttered Curzon, pressing his hand to his brow and endeavouring to concen- trate all his thoughts in one focus. “Have you been labouring under some _ unpleasant dream?” asked Editha, now assuming a look of tender anxiety, while, at the same time, unperceived by her hus- band, she pulled the bell-rope that hung behind the curtains of the bed. “IT cannot understand it, it is unaccountable! ’’ said Curzon. Then turning his eyes suddenly upon KEditha, he demanded, abruptly, ‘‘ How came you here? ”’ ‘How came I here! ”’ she echoed, with a tone and look of amazement. “Is it not my own room, the boudoir where I sleep when we do not pass the night together? And therefore should I not rather ask how came you here? ”’ ‘Perdition! what means it all?” exclaimed the earl. “* Am I mad, or have I really been dreaming? ”’ At this moment the door opened, and Gertrude made her appearance in answer to the summons of the boudoir bell. Her looks were as composed, tranquil, and sedate as 1f nothing extraordinary had occurred during the past night; and when the earl thus marked her unruffled mien and saw that there was nothing sly, arch, or mischievous therein, he became more bewildered than ever. Again he pressed his hand upon his brow to steady his thoughts, and Gertrude availed herself of that opportunity to dart a sudden look of intelligence at Editha. Then did her ladyship’s countenance become lighted up with an expression of joy and triumph, for she understood full well the meaning of ECORNIECOOOKS.EO