The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

Game. -o-n | inspired me—that love which is consuming me . At first Christina was filled with confusion and trepidation at the sudden appearance of Octavian: the next moment she was terrified by bis manner: but now she said in an agitated voice, “My lord, ai the angel you declare her to be !” 99 she loves—~yow who are her friend “My lord, for the very reason that your amiable wife regards me as a friend ” “ Christina, it 1s useless for you to treat me know that I am not altogether indifferent to you !” heroine, with burning blushes upon her oheeks: and she moved towards the dvor. == “Ae witwe — = — =~ oy =f “sewer wee ew =.) om of hee at lenis dp owe THE MYSTRRIES OF THE COURT. the seeret of the love with which you havo rm of Oe 1 —_— = roe “That it will even make = hate me Ye he once !”’ “ My lord !” half-ehrieked Christina. “Oh, yes! 1 tell you that Iam well nigh mad,” I beseech you not to address mo in these terms! | ejaculated the young nobleman: and he pase It is an insult to that wife of yours who is indeed | sionately tossed the rich olustera of his hair away from his throbbing brows. “You know not how “But you must hear me, Christina!” replied | much I have suffered since you were here last-— Octavian, who was labouring under the most ; three mortal weeks of one long agony! powerful excitement. “To whom else can I address | can attest that I have striven—QOh ! I have striven myself on such a subject, jf not to you,—you whom | to do my duty towards Zoe, and to banish you from my memor said, in a voiceewhich was hoarse with the exoite- ment of his harrowed feelings. “By heavon, it will only require that to impel me to suicide at Hoaven “My lord,” cried Christina, “ your language as a married man is an offence and an insult, to my ears. You know that I dare not beave the thus! Good heavens, your colduess kills mo! room for fear that your angel-wife should suspect Those who love, can recognise love in others—andI how you are treating me: and therefore your con- duct is cruel—most ungenerous! It amounts to a “My lord, L can hear no more!” exclaimed our | persecution: and I entreat——=no, I command you | to be silent !’* “Oh! give me your hatred, Christina, if you. : “ Recollect !” he said, hastening to intercept her | will,” exclaimed the young nobleman, who did passago: “if you leave the room thus abruptly, ; indeed appear ae if he were going mad, “ rather ‘than your cold indifference! Am I to blame inform her that I have insulted you—that I have , because I have no control over my own feelings P | Zoe will inquire the reason—and you will have to outraged your delicacy,—and what a dagger will this be to drive deep down into her heart !"’ | guished, that she knew nut what to do. were monstrous to judge me thus harshly ! Chrietina,” he continued, in a milder “ Good heavens, in what a position are you | manner, “T tell you again and again that | have placing me!” murmured Christina, so painfully | striven to do ny duty towards Zoe: 1 have forced affected—so bewildered, perplexed, and even an- / myself to dwell upon all her goodness —her amia- | bility—and what is more, upon the sublime gene- “Christina, I tell you that IL am half mad!" | rosity of her clispostion; I lave endeavoured to | No, no—it hastily rejoined Lord Octavian Meredith. “ That: catch tho transfusion of that love which she angel in human shape is making every sacrifice of | chemshes for me——but in all these have I fuiled ! fecling for my sake! She knows that I love | Now, am I to be blamed for thie? No, no~—I am another—but she does all she can to prevent mes to be pitied!—and you see before you the most from suspecting that she has that knowledge which | miserable wretch upun the face of the earth |” | Jt were impossible to describe tho feelings which going abroad—and she will not allow me to accom- | agitated the young maiden as she listened to | Octavian’s speech. It affected hor almost to tears: “ My lord,” interrupted Christina vehemently, | and yct her virgin modesty was offended that he and even with passion,—“ it would be infamous | should suffer her, however distantly, to undorstand —it would be abominable on your part, to allow. that it was his love fur ker which prevented ia preying upon her very vitals! And now she is pany her!’ your wife tu go alone in search of that health, him fro... porfurming Iris duty to bis wife. She which you yourself have destroyed—and which, | cowd not help pitying bim from the-very bottom of ber soul,—at the same atime that she felt ‘she “T take God to witness,” cried Meredith, still ! ought no&t to listen to the latfruage he was utter. labouring under the strongest excitement, “that [ jing. She would have flown irom the roon—but alas! alas! ahe may perhaps never regain!” have implored and entreated—I have prayed and besought Zoe to permit me to go with her: but she will not. Mald, submissive, and meek in all | the strong reason already specified compelled her to romain there. Never was her situation eo pain- 'ful !—and she could havo thrown. herself upon the other respects as she is, she shows herself firm and | seat to give vent to her feeliugs in tears, only that decided upon this one point. But, Oh! the pre- | she dreaded lest Zoe should suddenly make hor texts and excuses which in her magnanimity of | appearance. Ab! but a thought struck her. soul she invents! She declares that to drag me | “My lord,” she hastily said, “Zoe was to be after her, Yeak and languid as she is—to have the | absent but for a minute—and twenty have elapsed since sho left the room! Sbe may be ill—and I invalid wife—would only render her Continenta! | go to succour her.” “Stay!” cried Octavian: “stay!” and he seized 4 eontinued consciousness that I am enchained to an | travel a punishment to herself, rather than a _ means of working a benefit. No: she will not | allow me !—and she has even succeeded in persuad- | ing her father that to regain her health she must go alone !” ° “My lord,” cried Obristina, again speaking ¢vebemently and passionately; “if you do not cruelty so abborrent-———-” ope ees ee ee ee ee. her hand. “ Not another second! Unhand me, my lord {” cried Christina proudly. The next instant the door closed behind the agitated girl: but scarcely had she thus passed | out upon the, landing, when she caught the sounds accompany her ladyship, you will be guilty of a| of rapid footsteps ascending the flight leading te , the upper storey,——fouteteps 80 light that they CO in SS ES: ee OP ee a EE EE Ee OY IE OE Aone S Bla 6 (C NOG SS