The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

122 REYNOLDS’ WORKS hend your disposition well. Then, after all, what is it that I ask? That you will not marry where you do not love, but that you consent to receive a slave and a mistress where you are beloved.”’ ‘And all this, Sagoonah, is an impossibility,” said Mr. Redcliffe. ‘I have endeavoured to reason with you, and you will not be reasonable. You now compel me to speak out the full truth sternly, and you may think implacably. Nevertheless, it must be done. Return you to your mis- tress, for here our interview ends. I shall call at the villa tomorrow, and by your demeanour shall I be decided whether I retain the seal of silence on my lips, or whether I must per- form a duty by explaining to Queen Indora everything that has taken place. Do not regard me as an enemy, Sagoonah. I would rather be your friend. I have made all possible allowances for you — ”’ ‘No, sir, you have not!” interrupted Sagoonah, vehe- mently. The poor Hindu woman has her feelings as well as the haughtiest lady of your civilized British land. Mine are wounded. Think you that I have no virtue, think you that I value not my chastity and my honour? The former is immaculate, the latter untarnished. Yet do I offer to sacrifice my virtue for your sake. Judge thereby the strength of my love. And is such a love as this to be subdued by a cold mandate to be reasonable? Is it something to be crushed like this?’ and setting her foot upon a wild flower, she trampled it down, half-dis- dainfully, half-vehemently. ‘“‘ Sagoonah, I must leave you,”’ said Mr. Redcliffe, and he was turning away. ‘No, our interview ends not thus,” interrupted Sagoonah, and bounding forward, she caught him by the arm. ‘ You know not what it is to trifle with the feelings of a woman, thus to scorn her love, to refuse the slightest sacrifice on your part. Such a love as mine is capable of turning into the deadliest hate. I need not remind you that I belong not to the same cold clime as you — ”’ ‘“ Sagoonah, all this is ridiculous,” interrupted Mr. Red- cliffe. ‘‘If you were an Englishwoman, I should conceive that your brain was turned by witnessing the outrageous details of some highly wrought melodrama, or that you had stocked your brain with phrases from some preposterous COMnnieoooks (E(0)