The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

1 And Zleanor, gasping fur breath, supported herself Ly clinging to the mantel. “Ah! then my surmise was not wrong?” cried the Prince, in a triumphant tone, “Ob! I am well acquainted with the world, Eleanor—we'l ex- perienced in the female heart. The moment I learnt ere now that you had yielded to the device set to ensnare you, | felt assured that it was a conscious guilt which had made you coward enough to seek to know more, Were you an innucent wo- man, against whom scandal could not even raise its breath, you would have treated Mrs. Brace and her intrigues with disdain Nay—those intrigues would have appeared so transparent that you must have seen through them in a moment.” “You are adding the grossest insult to the most wanton injury,” murmured the unhappy Eleanor, ber courage and presence of mind failing her rapidly. “ Had you not treated me with {nsult on that night shen you promised to adinit me to your chamber,” a said the Prince, “there never would have bee a word or a look of anger or disagreement between us. But, because a certain incident took place—as un- foreseen as it was unfertunate—you barred your door- against me. Think you, haughty lady, that I had no feelings to wound—no bitter disappointment to- endure? Assuredly I had: and it was in consequence of the cruel—heartless — capricious treatinent which I then experienced at your hands, that I resolved to make you mine sooner or later. And now, Lady Desborough -since it appears to be my turn to speak at length,” he continued in a tone of enhanced triumph,—* I crave your attention.” “My God! suffer me to depart!” exclaimed the unhappy lady, glancing in wild terror around the room. " Listen, I say!” cried the Prince emphatically. “Upon my absence from the ball-rooms no one will] dare to comment: upon your absence, on the con- trary, strange whispers and remarks will speediiy ee comicloooks. conn