The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

122 THE COURT OF LONDON with his lips, but he pressed it in the fervid warmth of friendship. ‘‘ Have I interpreted all your feelings aright? ’’ she asked, much moved by the present scene. ‘“‘ Yes, in every detail,’’ he responded. “I could not have fathomed my own heart so nicely, so delicately, and so accurately as you have probed it for me. But is it not strange that you and I should be conversing in such a manner? Who would believe that the gay and brilliant Lady Sackville and the dissipated Douglas Huntingdon could thus have settled their attention upon serious matters, ay, and with the most genuine sincerity into the bargain? But it is so.” ‘“‘ Assuredly, on my part,’”’ said Venetia. ‘‘ But are you quite confident that, now you are returned to London, you will not yield to its temptations and relapse into the vortex of pleasure ?”’ | ‘No, it 1s impossible,’’ exclaimed the baronet. ‘‘I can assure you that although ere now I may have spoken jocularly and good-humouredly of my alarms relative to my own case and of my visits to the physicians, yet that I was too much frightened at the time ever to run such foolish risks again. A man must be mad to trifle with his own health, for, after all, health is the greatest of blessings. I should loathe my- self if I had not sufficient command over my inclinations, after the experiences I have gleaned, to be able to conquer any desire for a recurrence to the delights of dissipation. Venetia, I can assure you, in all solemn seriousness,”’ he added, fixing his eyes with steady earnestness and frank sincerity upon her, ‘‘ that I am an altered man. I regarded you as a friend, I liked you, and I could not help coming to tell you all this. Only, in the first instance, I did not exactly know how to make the confession, and I was some- what afraid of ridicule. But you have generously, and I may almost say unexpectedly, come to my help; you have given an interpretation to my feelings in the most liberal and enlightened sense, and I sincerely thank you. Shall we not always continue the very best of friends? ”’ “We will,’ answered Venetia, with evident sincerity. “« And now tell me what is to be Ariadne’s fate? ”’ ‘‘ Immediately upon quitting you, I shall proceed to her abode,’’ replied the baronet, ‘‘ and shall offer her my hand.”’ 7) COMnnicooo@ S (CO im