The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

268 REYNOLDS’ WORKS tered you was I about to repair to the village and invoke the aid of persons there to capture the murderer. I had been thinking for hours how I should best prevent the new crime and hand over the perpetrator of the old one to justice, for I feared, alas! I feared that whatsoever I might say would be taken only as the ravings of a poor crazed creature.”’ ‘We will at once adopt measures,’ ejaculated Redcliffe. “Come with me. Henceforth you must not be a wanderer. Come — But first of all one instant’s devotion here.”’ Thus speaking, he threw himself upon his knees by the side of the grave of the unnamed one; he bent over the turf, he covered his face with his hands, and Jane, who stood at a short distance, could hear the convulsive sobs that came from his troubled breast. When he slowly arose from his suppliant posture, his countenance, as the moonlight fell upon it, was ghastly pale, but yet it was not convulsed; it now wore the expression of a deep, serene, resigned mourn- fulness. He and Jane, issuing from the churchyard, proceeded to- gether in the direction of the village, and while walking thither, Mr. Redcliffe asked, ‘‘ Wherefore did you leave that asylum which I provided for you, and where the people, though in humble circumstances, were so kind and good to you? ”’ ‘“ Have I not said, Mr. Redcliffe,’’ responded his compan- ion, “ that I felt there was a mission to be fulfilled, and that by me it must be accomplished? I knew that if I asked per- mission to leave that home which you provided for me, it would be refused; I therefore stole away, taking with me the contents of the purse you so generously left me. And then, on becoming a wanderer again, I procured for myself the mean apparel which became a wanderer’s condition — ”’ ‘Enough, enough, Jane!’’ interrupted Mr. Redcliffe. ‘‘ T was wrong to question you on the subject. I should have comprehended how your unwearying devotion to the memory of your beloved mistress would have thus rendered you a wanderer until you had ascertained her fate. And I too have been a wanderer,” said Mr. Redcliffe, — ‘‘a wanderer for the same object, but latterly to seek for you likewise, since I learned your sudden flight from the cottage near Liverpool. It was not accident, it was Heaven itself that brought me to this secluded village, that I might meet with you, and ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)