The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

26 REYNOLDS’ WORKS sponded the duchess, wiping away her tears. ‘‘ What other counsel have you to give me ere we separate? ”’ ‘Only a few words more,’ resumed Captain Lacey. ‘I might say much —I might tell you many things, but the time is too short now, the carriage is at the door, your ducal husband is waiting to bear away his beloved bride. And, moreover,”’ continued the old man, with an increase of that nervous excitement which his daughter mistook for sorrow at the approach of the parting moment, “it would arouse too many painful feelings, too many sad recollections. But yet, my darling daughter, there are a few words which must be spoken. You may perhaps shortly hear names mentioned in your presence which will vividly recall that past to which I have alluded. You may discover, too, that your marriage has given you connections which — But no matter. It is only a single word of parting advice that I have time or fortitude enough to proffer, and that is to conjure you to be upon your guard, so that whatever you may hear shall not lead you to betray to your husband that you were at one time the betrothed of another.”’ ‘‘ Father,”’ replied the duchess, with a glacial firmness of tone and a statue-like immovability of features and of form, so that not a muscle of her countenance was stirred by af- fliction, nor the folds of her splendid scarf agitated by the bosom’s heavings, ‘‘ you have seen with what fortitude I have passed through the ordeal of this day’s ceremony; you have seen likewise that by my conduct I have never once given the Duke of Marchmont ground for the supposition that he is an object of the merest indifference to me. By all this let my future conduct be judged; by what 1 am you may estimate what I shall be. Yes, lam firm. My destiny is fixed, and I accept it. Even if he whose image is dearer to me than I can express were by a miracle to be brought back to life, were he suddenly to stand before me, I feel that I am nerved with the courage, — it may be of despair, — but nevertheless it is the courage that alone is adequate to sup- port me even through such an ordeal as that. Now, father, are you satisfied? ”’ Singular and incomprehensible was for an instant the expression which flitted over the old man’s features; the next moment it was succeeded by one of gladness, indubitable, unmistakable, and straining his daughter to his breast, EGomichbooks (elo)