The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

260 THE COURT OF LONDON damsel, whom the prefect was now hurriedly raising from the floor. But,oh, what words can depict the hurricane of amaze- ment and the tornado of agonizing thoughts and wildering ideas which swept, all in a moment, like a flight of barbed arrows, through Jocelyn’s brain, when the glare of that lamp fell upon the pale, inanimate, but ever lovely countenance of his own Louisa? A cry of rage, a yell of madness burst furiously from him; but, quick as thought, the prefect bore the senseless maiden from the room, the door of which was immediately closed. In the frenzied excitement to which he was now a prey, Jocelyn dropped the lamp from his hand; and it was instan- taneously extinguished as it fell upon the floor of the adjacent chamber, into which he had thrust it through the aperture. ‘“‘ Heavens! what is the matter? ”’ exclaimed Julia Owen, startled and afirighted by the suddenness of the scene which thus terminated all in a moment in utter darkness. “Oh, wretch, profligate, demoness that thou art!” cried Jocelyn, in a voice indicative of a rending anguish; “thou hast ruined me in the eyes of my beloved! ”’ And as the last word thrilled from his lips with all the wildness of delirium, he fell heavily upon the floor. ‘“ Jocelyn, Jocelyn, speak to me, speak to me!” shrieked Julia Owen, a mortal terror now seizing upon her, for this scene was dreadful in the depth of that pitchy darkness. “Good heavens! he does not answer me!’ Then groping her way to the spot where he had fallen in the alcove whence the bed, it will be remembered, was drawn out, she stooped down and placed her hand upon his face. His features were motionless, though bathed in those cold damps that send a chill through the warm living flesh that comes in contact with them; and her terror now increasing almost to an agony, she placed her ear to his lips. But she could catch the sound of neither breathing nor easping; and while her brain reeled and she felt as if she were going mad, she placed her hand upon his heart. It throbbed not, no pulsation could she feel, and with a loud © cry that rane forth thrillingly and wild upon the night alr, she said, “‘ He is dead, he is dead! My God! ’tis I whose wickedness has killed him. O God! O God!” and then all consciousness abandoned her. CONNIE OO! KS (E(0)