The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

CHRISTINA’S ADVENTURES 51 will leave me so truly wretched that I shall do something desperate. Yes, by Heaven, Christina — ”’ ‘Oh, this threat which you have held out before!’’ were the wildly uttered words that thrilled from Christina’s lips, and she pressed her hand in anguish and bewilderment to her brow. “Christina, I am not indifferent to you,’’ exclaimed Octavian, in a voice of exultant joy; ‘‘tell me, tell me that I am not indifferent; tell me that you will live for me, as I am living for you, for she cannot live. Oh, speak to me, for God’s sake speak to me! ”’ He sank at her feet; he seized one of her hands, — the other was pressed against her brow; he was about to convey the former to his lips, but with a sudden and vehement effort she snatched it from him, and the next instant the door closed behind her. Meredith dared not follow; he felt all in a moment that it would indeed be flagrantly insulting to the pure mind of Christina, if he were thus far to forget himself. He sank upon a seat, buried his countenance in his hands, and gave way to his agitated reflections. Meanwhile Miss Ashton had passed out into the hall, where she found Jessie and the other maid servant. Her ears caught no following footsteps, and she therefore com- prehended that the delicacy of Meredith’s feelings had prevailed over the strength of his passion. She hesitated not to linger for a few moments in the hall, while Jessie Giles hastened to fetch one of her own bonnets and shawls to lend the young lady. Then — having in the meantime decided not to avail herself of the carriage, for fear that in some insensate moment Octavian should forget the pledge which he had given — she hastened away on foot. She was soon overtaken by an empty cab, which she entered, and in a little less than an hour reached the villa at Bays- water in safety. There she acquainted the princess, who had been very uneasy at her sudden disappearance, with the particulars of the outrage which had been perpetrated against her, and all that she omitted from the tale was that rapid but exciting scene with Lord Octavian Meredith which we have just been describing. Indora gathered enough from what Christina said, to convince her that the Frenchwoman could be none other than Madame Angelique, but she did not intimate COMIC OOO <S (CO)