The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

346 THE COURT OF LONDON can, of course, without a pang and without remorse, abandon me to disappointment and despair. But if you do in the slightest degree reciprocate that passion which I experience, you will sacrifice all and everything to such a feeling.” “What mean you? What mean you?” asked Emma, whose strong passions were already influenced by that contact in which she was placed with her handsome com- panion. ‘““T mean, dearest,’’ he replied, drawing her still more closely toward him, and venturing upon bolder dalliances than he had as yet dared to attempt, “‘ I mean that if we are to be happy together, you must make up your mind to the omission of that ceremony which society has ordained to be performed in a church, but which, nevertheless, has no power of binding hearts, however indissolubly it may unite hands. I mean,” continued Malpas, still more plainly developing the detestable but hackneyed sophistry of every man who tempts a woman to her undoing, “ I mean, dearest, that you must dispense with the aid of a clergyman to unite us, and that instead of formally and ceremoniously declaring yourself to be mine in the presence of man, you will consent to become so in the view of Heaven.” ‘Oh, what power is therein your words!’’ murmured Emma, growing, as it were, to his breast against which her bosom rose and fell with voluptuous heavings. Yet it was not any magic persuasion in the colonel’s language, but the rising excitement of her own devouring passions, that was now melting her into soft and sensuous yielding. ‘“ Dearest, dearest Emma! ”’ said the colonel, pressing his lips to hers and experiencing the thrill of ecstasy which was conveyed by the soft ardour of her caresses. Then, after a long pause, he said, ‘‘ To-night, dearest Emma, you must admit me into the villa.”’ ‘Oh, no, no, I dare not! ’? she murmured, but in a manner which showed that she meant to yield to a little further persuasion. ‘“ Ah! then you do not love me,” he exclaimed, and still he pressed her more closely in his arms, 1n order to sustain that frenzy of the passions which he saw was influencing her and which made her whole frame tremble and vibrate. ‘It is cruel of you thus to accuse me,”’ she said, nestling still closer if possible in his embrace, and as through the Gomicbdooks (E(0)