The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

162 REYNOLDS’ WORKS and when having the opportunity of private conversation, he had not ventured to touch upon those subjects, nor had she of her own accord ever in the slightest way alluded to them. But from the contemplation of these mysteries, Christian’s mind reverted to that of Isabella’s loveliness, the amiability of her disposition, and the elegant sweetness of her manners. Despondency on account of the difference of their social positions was again succeeded by hope, and again too did the determination settle in his mind that he would seek an op- portunity to avow his love and to elicit a reciprocal con- fession from her own lips. That opportunity presented itself in the evening after Isabella’s return from court. Christian was invited to dinner at the earl’s mansion, and after the dessert, Lord Osmond proposed a stroll in the garden. The earl refused to be of the party, for he was inwardly chuckling at the idea that his last grand stroke of policy was producing its effect, and that Isabella’s appearance of that day was now certain to elicit something decisive from his son’s lips toward her: hence his refusal to join the party, for he concluded that Adolphus would take care to stray apart with Isabella, while Christian kept the countess company. So the earl sat over his wine, partly chuckling at what he fancied was going on, and partly sketching forth in his imagination some astound- ing adventure for the literary lucubrations of the morrow. Little did he suspect that while Lord Osmond and the countess were seated together with hands fondly clasped, in an arbour situated in the most secluded part of the grounds, Christian and Isabella were walking in a shady avenue quite on the other side of the enclosure. And Christian told the tale which he had resolved to tell, and obtained the avowal which he had hoped to elicit. The hearts of that young pair were confessed the one to the other, and both were happy. Would the reader have us enter into the minutest details, and chronicle every word that passed between them’? Would he have us extend our narrative into the fullest particulars de- scriptive of this love scene? And yet we might do so, for though the tale of love is the oldest known to human beings, and commenced in paradise itself before the fall, yet 1s it ever new, and therefore ever interesting. The forms of speech which convey it may be infinitely varied, yet are the end and purpose ever the same, and countless though the (E(0) CONNIE DOO KS