Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

134 REYNOLDS’ WORKS it at Southampton, and alleging some excuse for wishing such a thing done. When my packet was in readiness, I gave it to the count, and he at once despatched a messenger with it to Perpignan. At the expiration of ten days I duly received Frank’s answer from the school at Southampton, and therefore acquired the assurance that my own packet had been duly posted. ““T may here add that as my own garments were now wearing out, the messenger who had been sent to Perpignan brought back with him a quantity of stuffs of various materials suited for dresses, and these were presented to me by Isabella. On the one hand I could not help being touched by this delicate consideration on the part of Christoval, but on the other hand, the circumstance made me apprehend that he by no means intended to part from me at the ex- piration of the month. I therefore watched anxiously for an opportunity of escape, but this I feared I should not very readily find, tor the entrance of the tower was guarded day and night by two sentinels, the men taking their turns, while from my own chamber window there was no possibility of flight, as it was too narrow for me to pass myself through it. To be brief, the month passed, and at the expiration of that time, Don Diego sought a private interview with me. His manner was as tender and as respectful as ever, but there ~ was more firmness in his words and in his looks. He gave me to understand that he could not make up his mind to part with me, that I was dearer to him than life itself, that I need fear nothing at his hands, as he was perfectly contented to live on the same terms as at present, but that tyrannical, harsh, and unjustifiable though his conduct might be in | retaining me a prisoner, he could not help doing so. I now remonstrated with him seriously, and for a moment angrily, but I saw that he was resolved, and from something which he let drop, it became evident enough that he hoped by persevering in his delicate attentions and tender assiduities to make a favourable impression in the course of time upon me. I made him comprehend that this hope would be cruelly disappointed, and that uf he persisted in retaining me captive at the tower, his conduct would efface all the generous and hospitable treatment I had experienced at his hands. He was deeply moved by what I said, and yet he relented not in his resolve to keep me a prisoner there, Gomichoo cS (E(0) m