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.

a s 8 ° Came eee Oe ee ee ee eee ee enter . qa» eee Ques, aisle eee eee «Oe oe Of aqua 2 Gee ee a) OE: A A P< rey Hh quae suitable acknowledgments to her deliverer: but when she heard the libertine who had insulted her, using threatening terms, talking of satisfaction, and declaring that her defender should hear from him, the proceeding assumed a significancy which, 6 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUBT. through his entire being. He comprehended all in a moment that his happiness ye et the circumstance of having wedded another: end in @ paroxyem of irrepressible emotion, he raised rienced as the young girl was in the ways of | his hand to his brow. the world, nevertheless sent the thought flashing into her mind that a duel would possibly be the result of the occurrence. A mortal terror accord- ingly seized upon her: for ta this innocent and being it seemed shocking to s degree that two human lives should be thus risked on her account, and one of them the life of her gallant de- liverer. Lord Octavian Meredith turned towards the beautiful stranger, and expreased his hope that she was now recovering from the terror into which the incident had pluoged her. “A thousand thanks to you, sir,” she answered, in a tremulously murmuring voice, “for your ge- nerous bebaviour. But did I rightly interpret the words which that rude person uttered? Ob, sir !” she continued, an expression of more than grief—for it amounted to a positive anguish, ap- pearing upon her countenance as sbe raised her fine daxk eyes towards Octavian Meredith,—“ I beseech—I implore that no life may be risked——”” “ Tranquillize your fears,” interrupted the young nobleman, in the gentlest and most sooth- ing tones of his naturally harmonious voice. “The man who could thus insult such a one as you, must be in his heart a coward; and even abould he, through fear of the world’s scorn, dare me to a duel, rest assured that I will chastise him.” “ Good heavens !”” murmured the young girl, all her worst fears being thus frightfully confirmed : “ you will risk your life !” “Ta it indeed a matter of interest to you that I should take heed of my own safety !’—and in putting thie question, Octavian Meredith was irresistibly carried away by those feelings which he had originally experienced towards the lovely | unknown, and which were now resuscitated more vividly than ever. ‘“‘Can you ask me, sir,’ she ssid, still speaking rourmuringly, and tremuloualy, and with affliction in ber looks,—“ can you ask me if it be a subject of uence whether lives are to be hazarded ? ——QOh! the bere thought is shocking!” — and under the influence of overpowering feel- ings, she laid ber hand upon Meredith's arm, gazing up entreatingly into his countenance as she exclaimed, ‘For heaven's sake, accept not the | Meredith, as the cherming “ Ah! you yourself, sir, are smitten with hezror at the thought of being placed in a position to take the life of a fellow-creature!°"—and the young girl, thus very naturally mistaking the cause of his excitement, clasped her hands entrestingly as she went on to exclaim, “Tell me that you will not accept that bad man’s defiance! Pardon this importunity on my part—bat believe me, it would make me very, very wretched indeed !” The nature of this colloquy—the close contest into which it brought Meredith end the lovely on those few occasions when passed her in the street, when spoken to her nor heard the sound of her voias, and had only obtained transient glim charms,—bow much more deeply was he : i R, x impression of its exquisite symmetry, st admirable ments—and when, too, her puge breath fanned his very cheek, as under the iz- duence of her feelings soe besoaght him to abstain from the threatened duel! Zoe was forgotten-- or if not absolutely forgotten, remembered only as one to whom he had indissolubly linked himes¥, , and who thus stood as a barrier in the way of tie crowning happiness of the real love which he eg- perienced. Then too flashed to the mind of the young man the sickening conviction thet despite at the time, he had wealth: whereas, on the other hand, he felt thet he could have been content to inhabit the humblest residence, if it were shared by this beauteous being who was now before him. Such were the feelings and thoughts conjured up all in a moment in the mind of Lord Octavian stranger defiance of that man whose conduct has placed} appeals. For an instant he had flattered himsejf him utterly beneath your notice!” The touch of that beautiful girl’s hand—light though it were, and gloved though the hand itself was—sent a thrill of unknown pleasure through | that these appeals arose from a tender interest eontinaed her which she herself experienced in him: but he hed — quickly seen, by her answer ta that question which he had put, that her entreaties arose merely from the entire form of Octavian Meredith. He ex-'a sense of duty and gratitude towards a fellow- feelings such as he had never experienced | in respect to Zoe; so that with the rapidity of: lightning did the conviction flash to his mind that | he had deceived himself as to his real sentiments | creature who had behaved nobly on ber behalf. “Will you not promise me,” she said, « thet this menaced duel shall not take place ?” promise responded in respect to her who had became his wife, and | quickly, in order to tranquillize her fears— though that he loved her not as he now felt be loved | without having the intention of the the dark-eyed, raven-haired being who was before | pledge if the threatened satisfaction shoald be de- him. This conviction caused him to experience a , manded. strong sensation of anguish, which instantancously | followed upon the thrill of pleasure the light touch : « Ah, sir!” persisted the young girl, who, artless and unsophisticated though she were, was never- —< (COL (C DOO CS (COL