The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

TOO LATE 271 In a few minutes, therefore, Meagles beheld a tall, graceful, and very lovely girl enter the drawing-room, to which he had been shown; and, although she was nearly overwhelmed with a sense of the tremendous affliction that had fallen upon her, yet was he struck by the beauty of her countenance and the sylphlike elegance of her form. “Miss Foster,” he said, approaching her, and speaking in a low and tremulous tone, ‘‘ I dare not offer a word of consolation. Were I your friend, I should venture to do so; were I your brother, I should naturally undertake the task. But, being a stranger, an utter stranger, 1 can only say, and with truth, that I never was so profoundly affected in all my life.” Rose bent upon him a look which expressed the deep eratitude she experienced for this manifestation of sym- pathy, but she was unable to utter a word. Her feel- ings choked her; and, sinking upon a seat, she burst into tears. Meagles suffered her to weep without interruption for several minutes, during which she forgot that he was present; and at length, raising her countenance, — which was as lovely as loveliness could make it, but pale with indescribable woe, — she remembered that he had begged to see her upon some matter of importance. Observing that the look which she cast toward him assumed an expression of inquiry, for her heart was still too full to speak, he hastened to explain his business in as few words as possible. But the com- munication of the fact that he had brought the money with him only revived her grief in all its bitter intensity; tor it struck her in an instant that had he come but five minutes earlier, all, all that had happened would have been spared, and those whom she had lost would be yet alive! Again, therefore, was she overwhelmed with sorrow for several minutes; but, at length recovering a sufficiency of composure to address a few words to her visitor, she said, in a low and stifling tone, ‘“‘ There remains a duty to be performed to the memory of my father. His name must not be disgraced, even after death. The money which you have brought was destined for a certain purpose, and that purpose must be accomplished. Do you understand me, sir? ” “ You mean the payment of a particular debt, Miss CONnnicloool KS (E(O)