The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

222 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘And have you never thought to yourself, Sagoonah,” asked the Princess Indora, ‘‘ that you would like to know what love is? Have you never felt a craving to experience that sentiment which plays the chiefest part in all the affairs of this life? Has there been no curiosity in your soul to learn the joy, the delight, the happiness of love? ”’ The Hindu woman’s cheek glowed as if with the purple flush of wine, — the rich red blood mantling through the transparency of her dusky skin, but the ruddy hue passed away as quickly as it rose up, and when the princess again slowly turned her eyes upon the countenance of Sagoonah, it had its wonted look and expression again. ‘‘ Yes, within the hour that is passing,”’ said Indora, sud- denly reverting to that topic which was most vitally inter- esting to herself, and without observing that her dependent had not answered the questions which she had put to her, ‘“ my fate must be sealed.’’ ‘‘ And if the Englishman’s decision be against your hap- piness, dear mistress of mine,’’ said Sagoonah, now sinking on one knee and looking with affectionate earnestness up into Indora’s countenance, “‘ what will your Highness do? ” ‘“ Ah, what will I do? ”’ she murmured, as an expression of anguish at the bare thought flitted over her superb features. ‘‘ What will I do, Sagoonah? ”’ Then after a pause, during which she seemed to reflect profoundly, she added, in accents of mingled mournfulness and despair, ‘‘ Heaven only knows what I shall do! ”’ ‘“* But yet, dear lady, you have every hope, have you not? ”’ inquired Sagoonah, as she still knelt by the velvet-covered ottoman, and still gazed earnestly up into the countenance of Indora. ‘‘ Do you not imagine, beloved princess, that the sense of obligation is greater than that of wrong in the mind of the Englishman? If your royal father kept him captive for so many, many years, he at least treated him with all becoming hospitality; he lodged him in his own palace, he gave him slaves to minister unto him, a guard of honour to attend upon him, and riches to dispose of as he thought fit.” ‘Ay, but you understand not the proud soul of an Englishman,” replied the Princess Indora; ‘ you compre- hend not that however brilliant the circumstances of his captivity, it is captivity all the same. The chains may be Eomicbooks.c