The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 399: what you’re looking at

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

366 THE COURT OF LONDON you were and besought me to give you a hearing, did I refuse you? ”’ ‘No, I have not the slightest complaint of cruelty to make against you,’’ responded the Earl of Curzon. ‘“ On the contrary, in revealing my name, it was reminding you also of the disadvantage under which I laboured in thus addressing a young lady.”’ “You mean,” observed Julia, with a tender look, “ that ‘at the same time you made yourself know to me, it of course occurred to my recollection that there was such a lady asthe Countess of Curzon in existence, and that therefore you were married. But even then, did I prove cruel, did I repulse you, did I flee from your presence? No. Never- theless, had I behaved as woman ought, — not perhaps always as woman does, — I should have assumed a haughty air and an indignant look, and have demanded by what right you, a married man, dared venture to breathe the language of flattery, when evidently meant as a prelude to the more tender whisperings of love, in the ears of a young lady, unmarried, occupying an honourable post about the person of the Princess of Wales. Oh, in such terms as these would I have addressed you, Charles, had it not been that my heart was smitten by a sentiment which, in its very weakness, was stronger than that of womanly prudence and propriety. But what must you think of me for this conduct on my part? What can your opinion be of one who has encouraged you to follow her from Italy, through Switzerland, hither to Geneva? ”’ “ What is my opinion? ’’ exclaimed the earl. ‘“ It is that you are adorable, and that I adore you; it is that so much love on your part deserves every possible manifestation of love on mine; it is that inasmuch as you have been pre- pared to make such sacrifices for me, there is no sacrifice which I ought to hesitate to make for you! For in loving me, you love one who cannot conduct you to the altar, you love one who cannot give you the honoured name of wife. And in loving me, also, you place yourself in a position to preclude an honourable marriage with any other suitor who may present himself. Your love then for me, if you abandon yourself to it entirely, amounts to what the world will call your ruin, and therefore, if you are indeed prepared to make these tremendous sacrifices for me, what should Gomicbooks (E(0) m