The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

THE LADY’S - MAID 73 might not probably stop there, but actually encouraged him to take further advantage of the opportunity, the circum- stances, and the hour; for she pressed closer to him, gazing up into his countenance with looks that at first only simulated an amorous feeling, but speedily began to swim with the wanton languor of really nascent desires. Indeed, when first she placed her hand in contact with that of the earl, it was as a provocative to his passions, — the execution of a sudden resolve to throw herself in as a means of diverting his attention from the pursuit on which it was fixed, and thus by her own sacrifice endeavour to save the countess. At the same time it must be confessed that Gertrude’s sense of virtue was not very strong, inasmuch as she could so readily make up her mind to immolate her own honour in the hope of screening that of her mistress. ‘Well, what reply do you mean to give me? ”’ asked the nobleman, now pressing his lips to hers. ‘‘ Will you transfer your devotion from the countess to me? Will you, in fact, vive me your love and become worthy of mine? Tell me, Gertrude, what am I to expect from you? What will you dor” ‘My lord, my lord,’’ she murmured, now seeking, as it were, to nestle in his bosom, “I have nothing to reveal that could in any way compromise her ladyship. But come, let us leave this boudoir, and if you wish I will accompany you to your own room.”’ ‘Ah! Gertrude,” exclaimed the Earl of Curzon, who at any other time would have been worked up to a frenzy of desire by the contact of those voluptuous charms and by the provocative looks of the young girl who seemed ready to abandon her virgin innocence to his embrace; but other and fiercer fires were now consuming him, and the tempta- tions of the siren wanton were ineffectual upon a heart scorching with the hell of its unappeasable jealousies. ‘‘ Ah! Gertrude,” he exclaimed, extricating himself from the half- embrace in which she had enfolded him, “ you are in league with your mistress, — too much so, I fear, to enable you to devote yourself to me.” “Oh, my lord,” she exclaimed, as the tears of mingled vexation and wounded pride rolled down her cheeks, “ I thought that you did care for me a little, but now I perceive that you only sought to trifle with me.” Cconniclooolks (C(O)