The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

BERTRAM AND ELIZA 73 a wife, and though the very thought was crucifixion, it was nevertheless one which she must endure. ‘Yes, Eliza,’ continued Bertram, when after a short space he grew calmer, ‘“‘ no man ever loved as I loved. At length I reached England,”’ he continued, abruptly taking up the thread of his narrative, ‘‘ joy, ineffable joy in my heart. Behold yon butterfly sipping the honey from the flower on which it has settled. ‘Thus did my soul rest on the delicious sweets of its own reflections; thus did my spirit repose in delight upon the roseate tints of love, the fairest flower of the human heart. But what if a rude hand were abruptly stretched forth to clutch that poor butterfly, and, stripping off its wings, were to toss it, still alive, on that parterre, to writhe out the rest of its existence in agonies, never more to sip the sweets of the flower from which it was taken? But thus was it with me; thus was it with the soul that lives in this breast.”’ And as Bertram spoke, he beat his clenched fist violently upon his chest. ‘You will drive me mad,’ murmured Eliza, who seemed as 1f she were about to faint. ‘“‘ Heaven forgive me,” cried Bertram, ‘‘ for torturing you thus, but I cannot check this outpouring of my feelings. The burden of my sufferings is too great, Eliza, for my soul to bear. I have but a few words more to say, and I entreat you to hear them. I was at Liverpool when I read the account of your marriage in the paper, — a marriage with my own uncle. What could I think, but that you were faithless to me? When reason returned, I wrote to the government, entreating to be at once appointed to a post in another embassy, for I had resigned my situation in that at Washington. My request was promptly acceded to; I was nominated to the embassy at St. Petersburg. Thither I sped without delay. Never did man travel so fast. It was the mad endeavour to outstrip my thoughts, to distance, so to speak, the agonies which, like pursuing fiends or ravenous wolves, were upon my track. At length I was ordered home to England with important despatches. I arrived, as you are aware, but a few days back, and I said to myself, ‘ I will see her once more. Such perfidy as hers, in return for so much love, must not go unreproached. Whatever the risk be, I will see her.’ And there was another reason too, Eliza: EOMIEl OOO KS () (EO)