The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

THH MYSTERIES. 29 —never until I saw you did I experience the ex- quisite bliss that attends on that passion! Look upon me, Octavia—do not avert your eyes,” hecon- tmued, with all the winning eloquence of his seduc- tive tongue: “turn upon me those glances that fiash like lightning through my veins—let me con- template my own soul speaking in your eloquent orbs—sufler me to read the delightful language of hope in the glorious beauty of your looks!” Bewildered and rejoicing—with indefinable feel- ings of fear mingling with a burning satisfaction and a thrilling exultation,— partly succumbing to an influence which she could not control, and partly ytelding to the impulse of her inclinations,—Octavia bent down her head until her long, glossy auburn tresses showered over the shoulders of Harley, as he knelt at her feet—and her polished, warm forehead caine in contact with his fine and open, but flushed and heated brow. The touch of that charming creature’s throbbing temples against his own, and the sweeping of her glorious hair across his cheeks,—the fanning of his countenance with her fragrant breath, and the more than mere glimpee which her attitude as she leant over him enabled his eyes to catch of the plump, firm, and swelling bosom that heaved with its virgin passion,—all this inflamed the licentious Harley to a degree bordering on a delirium of the senses, while his blood ran hke a lava-stream through his ves. Starting from his suppliant posture, he threw his arms around the yielding maiden—pressed her to his bosom—kissed her splendid forehead, her closing eyes, her burning cheeks, and her moist red lipe,— then murmured words of impassioned ardour and vows of eternal love,—and then imprinted innume- rable kisses again on her glowing features. At length extricating herself from his embrace, and hurriedly smoothing her dress and arranging her dsordered hair, aehe turned upon him a look of min- gied tenderness and reproach: but ere she had time to give utterance to a syllable of remonstrance, Har- ley’s lips were again glued to her’s with such impas- goned ardour that he almost seemed to suck in the very fragrance of her breath. “ Release me—for God’s*sake, let me go!” she murmured, once more extricating herself from his embrace: “my sister will return in a moment—~” “ And I will tell her that I love—that I adore you, charming Octavia!” interrupted Harley, who ap- peared to be maddened with excitement. “ No—no—not yet!” said Octavia, yielding to him her hand, and holdmg down her blushing counte- nance. “Consider, Mr. Harley———” “Call me by my Christian name, dearest,—call me George,” he exclaimed, passing his arm round her waist and drawing her gently towards him, until hia cheek rested upon the glossy surface of her tadiant hair. “ Consider then, George,” she proceeded, in a low, tremulous, yet tender tone, which seemed like the sound of a silver bell oscillating in a strong breeze, —~* consider that we have known each other for so short a time—that my father is absent-——” “Well, then, my angel, we will for the present conceal our love,” said Harley. * But do you—can love me? now upon your reply all my © And were I to answer in the affirmative,” said Ge rejoicing, exulting, but trembling girl, “ you —_ would deem me bold—forward—rash— inconsi- derate——” “Oh! no—no! I can never entertain a sentiment injurious to you, my beloved Octavia!” interrupted George Harley: then, drawing her to a seat, and placing himself by her side, he said, “Tell me, therefore, that you do love me—or at least assure me that I am not indifferent to you! Look up, my angel—turn your heavenly countenance towards me—and now let me behold those delicious lips frame the delightfal words, ‘ J love thee!’ ” “Oh! who can resist your winning eloquence !” murmured Octavia, in whose veins the warm blood circulated like lightning, while her beauteous eyes expressed all the tenderness of. an engrossing passion: then, after a few moments’ pause, she flung herself upon Harley’s bosom, exclaiming, “Yes, George—I love thee !” Again did the enraptured Harley imprint a thou- sand kisses upon her flushed and glowing counte- nance: again and again did he clasp her to his breast—and while his lips were glued to her’s, he could feel her bosom throbbing against his chest like the undulations of a mighty tide ebbing to and fro. Octavia was lost as it were in a new world of ineffable bliss: she felt like one who has suddenly . passed from the monotony of a well-known and Jong familiar clime into a glorious land where streams are most pearly, foliage most green, flowers most beautiful, fruits most luscious, and the air most fragrant ;—and, forgetful of the past as well as reckless of the future, she abandoned herself to all the ecstacy, the delirium, and the glow of a new and transcendently blissful existence. It was a full sensation of love that the beauteous maiden thus experienced; and it was aspecies of poetic sen- suousness that surrounded her as with a halo— bathing the cheeks in crimson hues and pouring a flood of light into the swimming eyes! While thus locked in Harley’s fond embrace, Octavia thought not of her sister—nor of the danger of being discovered in that position—nor of anything save the elysian bliss which she derived from the new sentiments that animated her and the paradise which had thus been opened to her ima- gination’s enjoyment: and had opportunity served —had there been no fear of the sudden return of Pauline—Harley would have found her then and there an easy conquest—an unresisting victim to the insatiable licentiousness of his nature. But though he himself was excited almost to delirium by the contact of that lovely creature whose cheelr reposed against his own, whose shining hair wantoned all over his shoulders, and whose glowing bosom heaved against his breast,—yet was he enabled to command a certain amount of pre- sence of mind;—and gently from the confiding, loving girl, he said, * This is a heavenly dream of happiness in which all worldly thoughts are absorbed! But we must exercise prudence, my angel—and ’tis now for me to remind you that Pau- line will soon return. Tell me, sweetest girl, can you possibly find an excuse to go out alone for an hour or two to-morrow evening? Nay—start not --I have so many things to tell you--so much to say to you, my beloved Octavia!” “Oh! do not ask me to act with such duplicity towards my sister!” murmured the young lady, again settling her disordered dress and re-arranging her luxuriant hair. COMGROO S COMM