The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

316 REYNOLDS’ WORKS glanced furtively at his countenance, and perceived that it now had a certain flush upon it, a certain animation, as if arising from the heart’s satisfaction at a strongly adopted resolve to perform a sacred, solemn duty. Christina her- self was not unhappy; no she was happy, for perhaps stronger in her mind was the sense of duty, and the self- martyrizing heart, when truly pure and virtuous, experi- ences a bliss in its own sacrifices. They returned to the ballroom, and there Octavian immediately quitted Chris- tina’s side. Encountering her brother he shook the youth warmly by the hand, and held him in discourse for a few minutes, he himself now conversing with a manly calmness and self-possession. Christina subsequently explained to her brother everything that had passed. | Meanwhile Lady Anastatia Latham, bethinking herself of the key of the safe, determined to place it in some drawer or secure nook until she should have an opportunity of restoring it to her husband. She felt for it in her dress, but it was gone. For a few moments she was frightened; she thought she must have left it in the lock of the safe, then she remembered that she felt it in her bosom when about to give it back to Sir Frederick, and next she recalled to mind the circumstance that she had arranged the lace upon the corsage of her dress when seated at the extremity of the room. Thither she repaired, and she found it lying upon the quaintly chalked floor, close by that chair in which she had sat. She now placed the key in one of the mantel ornaments, little suspecting, however, for what purpose it had served during the interval that it was lost from her possession. | : At one o’clock in the morning the supper-rooms were thrown open, and a splendid banquet was given. We however pass over all details of the festive scene, inasmuch as therewith no incident is connected requiring special mention in the pages of our tale. Dancing was resumed after supper, but several of the guests began to take their departure. Foremost amongst them were Christian and Christina. We should observe that Lord Octavian Meredith did not make his appearance at all in the supper-room, and amidst such a number of guests his absence was not noticed by Sir Frederick and Lady Anastatia Latham. Yet he had not quitted the mansion; he had no heart ECORNICIOOKS (E(0)