The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

156 REYNOLDS’ WORKS but it would savour of the vilest hypocrisy to profess affliction for an occurrence which is Heaven’s retribution itself. This is now my mansion, and you, Ashton, are indeed a welcome guest.”’ At that instant the young baronet’s eyes settled upon Mrs. Oxenden, who was advancing with the air of the humblest supplicant. A burning indignation sprang up to his countenance, his arm was already stretching forth to bid her avaunt, his lips were wreathing to form the word “‘ Be- gone,’ when Laura, smitten with commiseration for the abject appearance of her lately imperious relative, mur- mured, ‘‘ Remember, dearest Edgar, she is my sister.” “True,” said Beverley, and then he instantaneously recollected that his intended bride could not with decency remain beneath that roof unless in the companionship of a female relation. ‘‘ Mrs. Oxenden,”’ he went on to observe, “to say that I forgive you is to proclaim as much as you can ever expect to hear from my lips, but you cannot sup- pose that friendship will exist between us. Remain here for the present; I do not consign your sister to your care. Thank Heaven, I am now in a position to befriend and pro- tect her, but perhaps you will endeavour by your attentions to atone as much as possible for that past conduct which I will forbear from designating by terms as harsh as it merits.” Mrs. _Oxenden took Laura’s hand, and looked most plaintively in her face, as if to beseech her sympathy, her pardon, and the restoration of her love, but generous-hearted, magnanimous, as well as kindly gentle though the young maiden were, it was nevertheless impossible that she could in a moment put away from her recollection the sense of the bitter wrongs and persecution that she had experienced at the hands of her sister. ‘“ T will not speak a reproachful word to you,” she said, in a low, tremulous voice, while tears trickled down her cheeks, ‘‘ but as for ever again being as we once were toward each other, I fear — ”’ | Laura however left the remainder of the sentence un- uttered, and as she still clung to her lover’s arm, she was compelled to turn away from her sister, because Sir Edgar Beverley at the moment was about to address a few words to Mr. Andrews. EORNICLIOO KS (C(O)