Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

212 REYNOLDS’ WORKS loved her with an ardour so indubitable, a depth of passion so sincere, and a constancy so well proven, that she felt this menace of suicide to be no idle nor inconsiderate one. ‘ Count Christoval,” she said, giving him her hand, speak- ing kindly, but with a half-reproachful look, “ it is not gener- ous of you to address me in these terms.. Much as I may pity you, deeply as I may compassionate you, and even flattered and honoured as I may feel by this love of yours, yet a woman’s heart is not to be won by passionate threats and impetuous outpourings.” “No, but her heart 1s to be won by a devoted love,” exclaimed the count; ‘ and all that I say, all that I do, all that I menace, must be taken as evidences of that devoted love on my part. Listen to me —I beseech you to listen. You have promised to accord me a few minutes, and I will endeavour to be calm.” ‘ Proceed,” said Elizabeth, withdrawing her hand, wie he had pressed tenderly and forvidie between both i own. ‘Let us not linger near this road where passers-by might chance to observe us; we will walk through that shady avenue, where we shall be unperceived from the mansion. You see, Count Christoval, that [ am compelled to take precautions, that I am fearful of being compromised, and I hope, therefore, you will have some consideration for me.” “Will you have any for me, Elizabeth?” he asked, gazing upon her countenance with a rapture subdued by mournful suspense. ‘‘ But let me avail myself of the little leisure you are affording me. I will go back to that time when you fled from the tower in Catalonia. On discovering your flight, a frenzy seized upon my brain, for several hours I was like one demented. It appeared to me as if the world contained nought left that was worth hving for, and yet, as Heaven is my witness, I took no measures to pursue you, or to bring you back. I had hoped that by my unwearied attentions I should have secured your affections. Your flight was a proof that my fondest anticipations had all been in vain. When I recovered some degree of calmness, it was only to fall into a profound melancholy, and there were moments, during the latter part of that day on which your flizht was discovered, when I thought of putting a period to my existence. But the circumstances in which my faith- ful associates were placed recalled me to immediate activity. mcomicbooks