The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 305: what you’re looking at

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

288 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘“ Good heavens, Lady Saxondale!’”’ exclaimed the young artist, thinking of Florina, “ you know not what you say.” “But I have told you what I will do,’’ responded the infuriate woman, for infuriate she now really was. ‘‘ Beware how you continue to spurn my love. Say but one kind word, and I will forgive all that has passed.”’ ‘“ Madam, I can bear this no longer,’ more breaking away from her. ‘Stop! ’’ she exclaimed, a third time catching him by the arm, and with such power, too, that he could not have escaped without exerting more violence than his generous nature would permit him to do toward a female. ‘ I have but a single word now to say. Give me your love, William, and I will worship you; persist in refusing me, and I become your bitterest enemy.”’ Having thus spoken, with flashing eyes, pale countenance, quivering lips, and trembling form, she suddenly released him of her own accord, and he found himself free. “Lady Saxondale,’’ he answered, “‘ when this tempest of passion has subsided, you will be sorry for what has passed.”’ “Sorry? No,” she cried, now drawing herself up once more with sovereign hauteur, so that her majestic beauty seemed terrible in this storm of rage and indignation, “that word is not one which can be applied to Lady Saxon- dale. Instead of experiencing sorrow, I shall look for vengeance. If your mind be made up, mine is also. I could have sacrificed everything to enjoy your love, but I cannot endure to be humiliated by this rejection of my own. Much therefore as I could have loved you, I am prepared to hate you. Which is to be the alternative? ”’ “Madam,” answered Deveril, ‘‘ this scene has already lasted much too long, and your conduct toward me has passed from indelicacy to insult.” ‘““ Begone, then, sir! ’’ she exclaimed, the fires of all possible human passions flashing from her eyes. ‘I hate you, and I will be revenged.”’ Wiliam Deveril bowed coldly and quitted the room. In a couple of minutes he crossed the threshold of Saxondale House, and returned once more into Hyde Park, to compose the feelings that had been so much excited by the strange and painful ordeal through which he had just passed. ) cried Deveril, once CONNIE NOOO KS m