The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

230 REYNOLDS’ WORKS tion to lose, she had made up her mind to gratify her pas- sions without restraint. Moreover, she had an interest in keeping the young nobleman enchained to her, for she did not intend to fulfil her previously given promise of marrying him. She would never divide with another that power which she had toiled through crimes and waded through iniquities to consolidate; but she would retain him as her paramour, and she knew that by lavishing gold she could not fail to preserve her influence over him. ‘“ And this mourning, too,’ continued Lord Harold, look- ing significantly in that face upon which he just been im- printing kisses, “ you are not sorry to wear it under such circumstances? ”’ “The worst and bitterest enemy I ever encountered, ”’ responded Lady Saxondale, ‘“‘far worse and far more bitter than even your uncle has proved himself, is now no longer an obstacle in my path. She is gone, and Edmund is completely in my power. He who for a time succeeded in emancipating himself from my shackles has got them now more closely riven upon his limbs than he had when as a child he dared not attempt to thwart me.” ‘“ T understand,’ observed Harold. ‘‘ I read in the news- papers the account of how Edmund’s wife met her death, and it struck me at the time — ”’ “Enough! breathe not your thoughts aloud, Harold,” interrupted her ladyship. ‘‘ Yes, it 1s so; you have rightly eonjectured. There need be no secrets between you and me. Is not Edmund, with his weak and frivolous mind, with his superstitious terrors, and his addiction to the grossest sensualities, is he not completely in my power? But ah! you know not what else occurred at Saxondale Castle. I dared not write to you upon the subject; and no sooner had I arrived in London the other day, when the letter announc- ing Adelaide’s death summoned me back again, and there- fore I had no time to communicate with you.” “But what happened?” inquired Harold, to a certain degree excited by feverish suspense. That dress — ”’ “Ah!” he ejaculated, with a quick start, and his counte- nance became ashy pale. “Do not be alarmed,” his patrician paramour hastened to observe. ‘‘ Fortunately nothing came of the incident, CONNIE NOOO KS (E(0)