The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 400: what you’re looking at

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

ANOTHER SCENE IN THE GARDEN 367 not I do for you? You renounce the chance of obtaining a husband who would love, cherish, and protect you, and I therefore must renounce the wife whom I possess. ‘This, then, is the serious matter concerning which I was_ so anxious to speak to you. It was to propose that, if you be as sincere as I am, as sincere as I think you, we at once resolve to renounce all the world for each other.”’ ‘“ Oh, this language pours like a flood of Elysian rapture into my heart,’’ exclaimed Julia, in tones of thrilling joy- ousness. ‘‘ Yes, for my part I will renounce all and every- thing for thee,” and she pressed herself closer to the earl, as if willing and anxious to abandon herself to him then and there, so as to crown the tender compact. ‘““ Dearest, dearest Julia,’ he said, lavishing upon her caresses as tender as those which she expended upon him were wanton and provocative, ‘‘ now you are holding out to me hopes of ineffable bliss. But’? — and his voice sud- denly sank to a low and mysterious whisper — “ it is not merely the sacrifice of your honour, Julia, which is involved in all this; it is the sacrifice of all your future prospects, your family, sisters, friends, position, hopes of agegrandize- ment.’ “YT do not think that I altogether understand you, Charles,” said the young lady, now fixing upon him a look of mingled doubt and uneasiness. ‘ Pray explain yourself. Already is suspense amounting to an agony.” “T mean, then, dearest Julia,’ answered the Earl of Curzon, ‘‘ that the sacrifice we make for each other must be complete. You must fly away with me from Geneva, you must abandon every body and everything, in order to be mine wholly, and only mine.’ ‘What! and live with you openly as your mistress? ”’ exclaimed Julia, astonished but not shocked, amazed but not indignant. ‘“ Most assuredly,’’ responded the earl. ‘‘ But you have put my meaning into words more plainly explicit than any I should have ventured to use. It is better, however, that the matter should thus be placed on a perfectly intelligible footing. I love you, Julia, I have already convinced you that I love you. For the last two months I have followed you from place to place, and in order not to compromise you in any way, or to have it even suspected that I was I) CoOnniclooolks (C(O)