The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

THE DENOUEMENT 381 be thrown off the scent. You remember, my dear husband, you strictly forbade me to hold any communication with my brother; but what could I do when he privately trans- mitted to me the most pathetic letters, declaring that he was in poverty, imploring me to see him? In a word, I went. Alas, it was so easy to pretext a visit to my milliner’s; and as Heaven 1s my witness, I suspected not the character of that house. And I am convinced, my dear husband, that by many and many a lady friend of mine was its character equally unsuspected.” “No doubt, Anastatia,’’ interjected Sir Frederick; ‘‘ and it was by the merest accident that I myself one day learned from the impertinent communicativeness of some fashionable debauchee the infamous trafhe which Madame Angelique was carrying on. I was astounded, and as a matter of duty I at once warned you of the character of that house.” “And I also was astounded,’’ answered Anastatia, ‘‘ and I had not the moral courage to make you that confession which, if candidly given at the time, would have saved us so much misery to-day. But a sense of shame, deep, burning shame, or shall I say wounded modesty, sealed my tongue. I could not look my husband in the face and confess to him that I had penetrated within the walls of that den of infamy. I therefore held my peace. But, oh, when next I saw my brother, how bitterly did I reproach him for the frightful risk which he had made me run! Alas! you know his manner; he endeavoured to laugh it flippantly away, and then he pleaded ignorance of the nature of that establishment, and if I did not altogether believe him, at least I forgave him. Yet ever since that day on which your revelation of the infamy of that establishment came like a thunderbolt upon my ears, I have been haunted with terrors lest you should discover that only secret of my life which I studied to conceal from you. At last the ex- tortioner came, and then a great battle took place within me. I longed to reveal everything to you, but I had not the moral courage to do it. Alas, no, I had not, and I submitted to that villainous demand. You know the rest.” “ And now, my dear Anastatia,’”’ responded Sir Fred- erick, taking his wife’s hand and pressing it to his lips, “ it Js my turn to give you explanations. I will tell you how ce EORNICLOOO SS (C(O)