The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

90 THE COURT OF LONDON nude feet and ankles exposed in their sculptural symmetry to the middle of the legs’ robust swell, her whole figure, in fine, seemed to realize all that artist ever fancied, poet ever dreamed, or sculptor ever designed in the form of peerless beauty vindicating its outraged innocence. But, ah! all the glory, the magic, and the sublimity of that scene sink into degradation, shame, and infamy when it is remembered that Editha was really guilty, and that the part which she now enacted was one of consummate duplicity and exquisite hypocrisy. For a few moments, we say, did the Earl of Curzon remain utterly confounded, annihilated, as it were, by the demeanour, the conduct, and the language of his wife. It was either the most stu- pendous effrontery that woman ever yet had exhibited, or else, if she were innocent, was she the victim of the most extraordinary combination of circumstances ever known. But not long did the Earl of Curzon hesitate between these alternatives. Too much a man of the world to yield a ready credulity to any appearances of innocence, and too deeply conscious of error himself not to be ever ready to believe the errors of others, he soon burst forth into a laugh of bitter scorn, exclaiming, ‘‘ Ah! I see how it is, madam; you fancy that in your prudence you have destroyed all evidences of your guilt. But your memory fails you, for whatever your intentions might have been, you certainly have not altogether carried them out. I tell you that I possess proofs — ”’ “Then produce them, my lord,” said Editha, in a tone of defiance. “ T will, I will,’ and he turned toward the door. “ And if you do not,” she said, springing forward and detaining him by the arm for a moment, “ as a nobleman, a gentleman, a man, — shall I also say as a husband? — it will be your duty —”’ “Yes, to fall upon my knees and demand pardon for this outrage, these suspicions,’ ejaculated Curzon, throwing upon his wife a look of dark malignity, as much as to imply that it was perfect madness to suppose there was any chance of his being compelled to humble himself thus. ‘‘ Be it so,”’ she observed, in a tone of confidence, as she released his arm from the firm grasp which her delicate fingers had fixed upon it. COnniclooolkxs (E(@)