The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

14 THE COURT OF LONDON the door and holding the papers in his hand, he hurried to the drawing-room to announce his good fortune to his younger daughter, and inform her that she was now the Honourable Miss Pauline Clarendon. The young lady was seated upon the sofa in earnest conversation with Lord Florimel, when her father burst into the room. ‘My dear child,” he exclaimed, running up to her and catching her in his arms, “ congratulate me! I am now one of England’s peers, no longer the obscure and humble Mr. Clarendon, dependent on the bounty of a haughty relative, but Lord Holderness, with two thousand a year. Congratulate me, I say, dear Pauline.’’ But the young maiden withdrew herself abruptly, and even violently, from her father’s arms; and, surveying him for a few moments with a troubled countenance and a swell- ing bosom, she said, “ Is it possible you can rejoice to-day after all that the Duchess of Devonshire must have revealed to you? ”’ Then back to the memory of Lord Holderness flashed the remembrance of his ruined and demented daughter; and, while a sudden pallor swept over his countenance, he stag- gered back a pace or two as if he were about to fall. But almost instantly recovering himself, he exclaimed, “ Oh, our dear Octavia’s secret shall be hushed up, and with kind treatment she will soon regain her mental equilibrium. We must not be hard upon the prince; he is not to be judged by the same rules to which ordinary men are subject, and besides has he not done all that lies in his power to make reparation and atonement? ”’ ‘‘ Oh, my dear father,” cried Pauline, in a sien tone of anguish, ‘‘can you find consolation in such wretched sophistry as this? Here on my knees, before you,” she ex- claimed, sinking down at his feet and joining her hands beseechingly, ‘‘ do I call upon you to reject with scorn the bauble that has been offered as a recompense for the ruined honour of your elder daughter. Oh, I can understand it all, this peerage and this pension — ” “ Silence, child!’ ejaculated Lord Holderness. “It is for me to judge what I ought to accept or refuse, and not for you to dictate. Rise, I command you, and let me have no more of this puling sentimentalism.”’ (C(O) ANC 6)(0)(0)