The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 312: what you’re looking at

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

THE APPOINTMENT 279 With these words Editha opened the second letter, the contents of which were couched in the ensuing terms: ‘CARLTON House, December 11. ‘“ Language has no power to express the Elysian bliss, the celestial happiness, that I experienced, beloved Editha, in your company last night. Methought you never looked so beautiful! It was rapture to gaze upon you; the pressure of your hand sent an electric flood of ecstasy thrilling through me. Your glorious eyes poured their ardour into the depths of my soul, and your smiles, oh, it was an ineffable bliss to behold them, or, rather, to feel them beaming upon me. My wife is handsome — grandly handsome — everybody will admit, but ten thousand times, my beloved Editha, do I prefer your Oriental style of loveliness. It was the happiest moment of my life when for the first time, the other night at my aunt Miss Bathurst’s house, you looked back the language of love in return for the avowal of assion which I was daring and adventurous enough to make. But last night, as I have declared above, rendered me supremely happy. I sat next to you at the dinner-table, I kept by your side in the Green Room, again I sat next to you at supper, and every time we seized the opportunity to press each other’s hands I felt immersed in a fount of rapture. Your husband could surmise nothing, because we were so circumspect; and as for my wife, she has no jealousy. Nothing, therefore, need mar the progress of our love. Though secret, it shall not be the less fervid; though veiled and hidden, it shall not be the less impassioned and enthusi- astic. You gave me permission to write to you, to commit my thoughts and my desires to paper, and I hasten to avail myself of that permission. This I do, not only for the pleasure of thus communing as it were with you, but like- wise because I have bethought myself of an opportunity for us to meet to-night again, and indulge in unrestrained dis- course. Strange that I did not last night recollect that Lady Wenlock’s long-announced masked ball was so near at hand. Of course you have received an invitation? All the world of fashion will be there. Shall we not, then, avail ourselves of that golden opportunity for meeting, conversing, and perhaps passing two or three hours in each other’s company? (EORNNIE OOOKS (C(O)