The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 318: what you’re looking at

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

THE SIREN’S WLLES 30 | mournful features of the baron, she thought to herself, *f Oh, if I could conquer him with the artillery of my fascinations, if I could but enmesh him in the web of my seductive snares, we should be saved, we should be saved! ”’ And as this thought sent a thrill of hope through her entire frame, rousing at the same time some of that natural passion which had sunk sluggish and almost dead under the weight of recent horror, a tint of the fled carnation came back to her cheeks. Bergami noticed this, noticed also -the quick and sidelong glance which she had flung upon him, and felt some suspicion of the truth arising in his mind. For Jocelyn had given him some insight into the Circean blandishments and siren wiles which the sisters had prac- tised toward himself in Paris, and thus he was not alto- gether unprepared for any such display of feminine seduc- tiveness that might be aimed at his own hear “Young ladies,” he said, without appearing to notice what we have just described, ‘‘ it is necessary that I should have a few minutes’ conversation with you upon a painful, most painful subject. I did not choose to convey to you through Mrs. Ranger all that I wished to say, because I was fearful that she might not deliver my message aright, or that if she did, she might attempt to dissuade you from acting in accordance therewith. Hence my object in seeking this interview, and we who have so often roamed along the banks of Lake Leman as friends, while attending upon our royal mistress, must now tread in the same steps with far different feelings. Lest we should be observed, we will not remain standing in this particular spot. We will walk a little way along the shore, and I beg you will give me your earnest attention.”’ The party accordingly turned away from the Jetty, and began following the course of the lake’s margin. Agatha and Julia walked on Bergami’s right hand, and Emma on his left, but we need hardly state that he did not offer them his arm. ‘The sisters were, however, still more cheered by his words than they had previously been by his looks, for what he had said seemed uttered in sorrow rather than in anger, and in a tone of deep iscaads rather than of harsh upbraiding. “ You are aware,” is continued, “‘ that I have seen Mr. Loftus. Mrs. Banwer has no doubt told you so, and from (C(O) EOMIIGIOOKS