The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

154 REYNOLDS’ WORKS again; or, on the other hand, if she should recover, it will only be after a long and lingering illness, and thus for the present she is robbed of her sting in respect to both you and me. More than once have I seen that Providence is really working in my behalf, and if Sagoonah should die, it will be by Heaven’s dispensation which chooses to remove a reptile from our path; whereas if she should recover, it is to be hoped that during the interval that she must remain power- less for renewed mischief, the tangled skein will have com- pletely unravelled itself, and I shall have no longer any reason to dread her knowledge of my secret. But now, my dear Indora, let us speak in respect to yourself, for measures must be taken to ensure your safety.”’ ‘Let nothing be done, Clement,’’ responded the queen, ‘“‘ which may in any sense militate against your own interests or tend to compromise yourself. You know — you know,” she added, with a look of ineffable tenderness, but one that was full of a soft, pure delicacy of holiest and chastest love as well as of the heart’s illimitable devotion, “‘ you know that I would cheerfully lay down my life for your sake.”’ ‘“T know it, Indora, I know it,” answered Mr. Redcliffe, profoundly touched by this fresh proof of the queen’s attach- ment. ‘‘ But think not for an instant I am so selfish as to . suffer your safety to be any further compromised on my account. No, no, it must not be. Something shall be done, and that quickly too. Ah, a thought strikes me! Take writing materials, Indora, sit down and pen a few lines to my dictation.”’ Her Majesty at once complied with Mr. Redcliffe’s desire; and as she sat at the table in the drawing-room where this discourse took place, Mr. Redcliffe, slowly pacing to and fro, and with various feelings successively depicting themselves upon his countenance, dictated the following lines: ‘The assassin blow which was intended for myself has smitten another. You will start at these words, horror will seize upon you, your wretched conscience will tell you that Heaven itself is shielding me and warring against you. And you will feel, too, how useless it is for you to contemplate fresh iniquities in the hope of protecting yourself from the consequences of past ones. The web which you yourself have woven is closing in around you. I do not bid such a CORNICLIOOKS (E(0)