The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRINCE AND THE ORPHAN 131 escaped her lips. She knew that no screaming to which she might give vent, however loud it were, would bring her succour in that accursed house of iniquity; and suddenly as &@ man is prompted by the instinct of self-defence to raise his arm to ward off the blow that threatens him, so speedily did the resolution spring up in the maiden’s mind to make one last effort to escape from this atrocious persecution or perish in the attempt. ‘““My dearest Miss Foster,’ said the prince, closing the door, and keeping near it, “‘ once again, for the last time, do I appear in your presence as a suitor. Believe me, oh, believe me, beauteous girl, when I declare that I hate and abhor myself for suffering so much cruelty to be practised toward you; but my love is stronger than my mercy, my passion dominates over my sense of justice. Now be reason- able, angelic girl, and look well at your own position. You cannot escape hence, and I am determined to make you mine. Why not surrender, then, with a good grace? Where- fore not accept the brilliant position which I offer you? Your resistance, sweet Rose, has already been strenuous, sincere, and protracted enough to satisfy the most delicate scruples of your virgin innocence; and now would you be acting wisely and prudently to make a merit of necessity. Oh, be cruel no longer, Rose, surrender at discretion, and do not compel me to have recourse to means which my soul abhors and which I should regret evermore.”’ The prince paused for a reply, but the young maiden uttered not a syllable. Nevertheless, her flashing eyes and her heaving bosom convinced him that his words had pro- duced an effect upon her, but not that which he hoped and anticipated ; for instead of melting into tears and succumbing to the force of circumstances against which she could no longer resist, her appearance showed that her mind was shocked and all her virtuous indignation provoked by the language against which she could not close her ears. “You do not answer me, sweet girl, and you are angry,’ said the prince. ‘‘ Oh, wherefore treat me thus? Why do_ you regard me as your bitterest enemy — I, who seek to be- © come your best friend? Neither menaces nor entreaties appear to move you, and yet you are a woman, with a woman’s heart.” ‘Oh, at length you compel me to answer you, vile man,’ IS (C(O)