The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 333: what you’re looking at

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

302 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ing commenced. Sir Frederick requested Christian to open the ball with her ladyship, thus doing everything he could to put our hero forward as his principal male guest. He himself never danced, but Viscount Rushbrook became Christina’s partner for the first quadrille. This first quadrille was just drawing to a close, when Christina, on glancing toward the extremity of the room, caught a glimpse of a countenance which brought the warm blood up to her cheeks, but the next instant that colour vanished, and for a few moments she was exceedingly pale. This transitory display of emotion on her part however passed unnoticed, and the dance being over, the viscount conducted her to a seat. He remained conversing with her for a few minutes longer, and then, as her brother rejoined her, the nobleman retired to another part of the room. Sir Frederick Latham almost immediately came up to discourse with the twins, and soon did the splendid band give notice that the next dance was about to commence. Christian was introduced to some young lady of rank for this second quad- rille, and scarcely had he quitted Christina’s side, when a well-known voice, speaking low and tremulously, said, ‘‘ May I have the pleasure of Miss Ashton’s hand on the present occasion? ”’ All the proper pride, modesty, and self-possession of the young lady immediately came to her aid, as she rose from her seat and gave her hand to Lord Octavian Meredith, for he it was of whose countenance she had caught a glimpse, as ere now stated, amidst the lookers-on at the farther ex- tremity of the brilliantly hghted saloon. A sense of duty, having several phases, — duty toward herself, duty toward this young nobleman who was the husband of another, duty toward that other, the amiable Zoe, who was Christina’s friend, — inspired the young maiden with a degree of firm- ness which made her heart glow with satisfaction at the thought that she should be enabled to command it. No change took place in her countenance; her hand trembled not as it rested in that of Lord Octavian, yet his hand trembled, and she felt that it did so. For a moment her looks had encountered his own when she rose from her seat to give him that hand, but as he led her to the place which they were to take in the dance, she looked straightforward, yet without having any visible air of embarrassment or CORNICLIOOKS (E(0)