The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 293: what you’re looking at

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

276 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘Dearest boy!’’ murmured Lady Saxondale, flinging her arms about his neck. “ Instead of being grieved at the revelation of that woman’s secret, I am rejoiced at it, since it has given so dutiful, affectionate, and loving a son to my arms. But are you sure there will not come a moment when you will repent of this forbearance, when you will long to become possessed of your own? ”’ ‘No, never! never!’ ejaculated Deveril energetically. “TI would not, I could not build up the fabric of my own worldly prosperity upon your ruin and disgrace.’’ “Say my death,” added Lady Saxondale, emphatically, “for I could not possibly survive exposure. But tell me all the incidents of your past life, tell me everything. You must be aware that I have now the deepest interest in whatsoever concerns you.” Our hero thereupon proceeded to narrate to his mother that history which he detailed to Lady Florina Staunton, and which has been given at greater length in earlier chapters of this narrative. He told her how he had been brought up by the wandering players, how he had been taught to regard them as his parents, and how he had looked upon Angela as his sister. He described how she whom he had believed to be his mother perished prematurely, how Mr. Deveril took him and Angela to Italy, how he died there, and how on his death-bed he uttered that incomplete sentence which had subsequently led to a search for the manager Thompson. Then he described how the Marquis of Eagledean, under the name of Mr. Gunthorpe, had proved so kind a friend to himself and Angela, how he was engaged to be married to Lady Florina, and how Angela was the betrothed of Francis Paton. Lady Saxondale listened with the deepest interest, and throughout the narrative she frequently bestowed upon her son caressing indications of commiseration and sympathy. But when he had terminated, not one syllable of explanation did she volunteer on her own side, not a word to clear up those mysteries which Madge Somers had by her death left still unrevealed. Not the slightest detail did she give of the circumstances under which she had procured possession of | that woman’s child, to pass it off as her own and frustrate the hopes and aims of Ralph Farefield. Not a whisper did she breathe to account how it was that the supposititious CONNIE OO KS (E(0)