The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 309: what you’re looking at

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

“THE BARONET AND ROYAL MAIDEN 275 ** No, I do not command,” she responded, with an accent of gentle reproach. “I beseech, I implore.” ‘Then hear the truth, adorable Amelia,” exclaimed Sir Richard Stamford, throwing himself again upon his knees at her feet; and gazing up into her blushing, burning face with looks full of ineffable devotion, he said, in a voice of fervent passion, ‘‘ I love you, Amelia. My God! I love you with all the power of a grateful soul and an adoring heart.”’ ‘You love me, you love me?’’ murmured the princess, now enjoying the happiest moment of her life; and, casting her arms around the neck of the handsome man who knelt at her feet, she gave back with ardour the warm kisses which he imprinted upon her lips, her cheeks, and her brow. ‘“Love you! Yes, oh, yes! Such sympathy as I have re- ceived from you, sweet lady, could not fail to engender love,”’ responded Sir Richard Stamford. ‘“‘ Thank God! he loves me, he loves me! ”’ still murmured the Princess Amelia, appearing to pour her whole soul, her life, her being, into the ecstasy produced by the avowal of affection which she had received from the lips of the baronet. ‘““ And is it possible that you can love me in return? ”’ he asked, rising slowly from his knees and resuming his place by her side, although without disengaging himself from the warm embrace in which she held him. ‘* It is possible, it is true, it is God’s own truth that I love you, that I would lay down my life to serve you,’ exclaimed the royal maiden, with impassioned vehemence; and she continued to lavish her caresses with the fondest ardour upon the baronet. “Your friendship, Amelia, was a boon which could not be too dearly prized,” he said, returning the kisses which she thus bestowed upon him; “but your love, oh, that is a happiness so totally unexpected, so unlooked for.”’ “Ah! is it possible that you could have mistaken the feeling with which I regarded you, Richard? ” inquired the princess, in a tone of tender reproach. ‘“ Did you not perceive that I loved you? ” “ T dared not trust my thoughts upon the subject,” replied _ the baronet. ‘“ But the nature of my own feelings was not — understood by me until those words which you uttered just now struck, as it were, upon the concealed chord of tender- ness and vibrated to my very heart’s core. Thence the (Gx @) ANC 6)(0)©) Sa!