The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

34 THE COURT OF LONDON she appeared radiant with triumph and overpoweringly beautiful in the Olympian effulgence which the glowing animation of her cheeks and the lustre of her eyes shed around her. Oh, the broken ties of sacred matrimony, a ruined repu- tation, a cast-away future, — all, all were now dared and defied by this nobly born woman who was courageous enough to immolate everything dear upon the altar of her still dearer love. ‘“ Eleanor, I thank you; my God! I thank you, from the depths of my soul,”’ exclaimed Ramsey, sinking at her feet and covering her hand with kisses. ‘“ Rise, my well-beloved,” she said, little dreaming how much of theatrical effect there was in his proceeding, but judging him by her own fervid sincerity and profound en- thusiasm. ‘‘ What I have pledged myself to do I will per- form without a murmur, and the sooner the better, now that my resolution is taken. Pardon me, then,” she continued, in a more subdued tone and with a sudden embarrassment of manner, as she pressed her lover’s hand affectionately, “»ardon me if I now turn the conversation for a moment upon things of worldly importance only. But it 1s necessary that I should inform you, my beloved Gustavus, that I am not independent of my husband in a pecuniary sense. A few hundreds of pounds, my jewels, these are all the wealth that I can take away with me; and I know that for the present your circumstances are not as prosperous as I could wish them to be.” “But I am young, and I am not wanting in certain intel- lectual qualifications,’ answered Ramsey. ‘‘I possess a perfect knowledge of the French language, and in the United States of America I may hope, as a tutor or as a translator, to earn a livelihood. And then, in addition to all this, I think I may safely say that by means of certain deeds in my possession I may obtain a considerable sum of money.” ‘“‘ Oh, it grieves me to think that we are compelled to speak of the dross of this world in the same breath with love, which is the gold of the heart’s feelings,” exclaimed Eleanor. “ Enough, then, upon that subject. You know my position, Gustavus; you are aware that it is little more than my profound affection which I can bestow upon thee. Oh, if my fortune were as immense as my love for thee, the wealth EORNIC OO