The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 383: what you’re looking at

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

THE BROTHER AND SISTER 357 acter, and prove how totally free from selfishness is her disposition. I must, however, preface it by informing you that a fortnight ago I called upon Lady Sackville, at Carlton House. It was the very day before she left it for good, and she then gave me to understand that she meant to turn over a new leaf. On that occasion I frankly confessed that I had formed a precisely similar determination, — and now that I recollect, it was on that same afternoon I came up to call upon you. I think, if I remember aright, that I meant to make you a confidante of my resolve, and even consult you in the matter, but I know not what humour it was which seized upon me, inducing me to postpone all discourse upon the subject. When I called upon you again the other day, it was with the same intent, but your brother was here all the time, and so I did not choose to make you my con- fidante or to ask your advice on that occasion. And now for my anecdote about Mrs. Baines. As I was leaving home this morning, I told her that I had something of importance to whisper in her ear. You should have seen how grave and serious the old lady suddenly became; her air had quite a diplomatic mysteriousness about it. She was evidently so proud of being admitted into my confidence and entrusted with my secrets. I began by reminding her that for the last few months I had grown quite steady, and had become a model of temperance and frugality in my habits, that I had renounced the society of all my former companions, and had learned to hate dissipation as much as, I am sorry to say, I once loved it. Mrs. Baines was pleased to speak in terms of cordial approval, and with a motherly kind of inter- est, too, relative to my altered conduct. I then came to the point, and asked her if she did not think that I should do well to marry— Ah! you have dropped your work. Permit. me.” | Ariadne had indeed let her work fall, and as she stooped to pick it up, her cheeks, which were burning with blushes, for a moment came in contact with the cheek of Sir Douglas Huntingdon, who had also stooped for the same purpose.. She, however, was the first to snatch up the work, over which her head was immediately bent much lower than before, as if she were trying hard to conceal her countenance as much as possible. “ Well,” continued the baronet, not taking any notice — (C(O) nn) (C 0)(0)©) <Si