The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

26 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Thus speaking, Clarine took her father’s hand and pressed it to her lips. He gazed upon her with a singularly melan- choly expression for a few moments. Then it seemed as if a sudden access of rage, fierce and bitter, swept over his countenance; but in a moment this in its turn vanished, and smoothing down the glossy hair of the amazed and half- affrighted Clarine, Monsieur Volney said, in a tone full of emotion, “‘ Poor girl, if I thought that I had the right — ’’ But he suddenly stopped short, and as abruptly turned away, yet not so quickly as to prevent Clarine from catching the look of inexpressible anguish which seized upon his features. The young lady could have shrieked out, there was something so fearful in that look; but she subdued her emotion sufficiently to avoid giving such vent to it. She longed to approach her sire, to ask him what he meant, and what dire woe was afflicting him, but she dared not. And now for the first time Clarine’s eyes were open to the fact that she had been all along totally excluded from her father’s confidence in every matter in which a daughter might legiti- mately enjoy it. ‘“‘Clarine,’’ said Monsieur Volney, again turning toward her, and speaking with his habitual cold kindness of tone, if the reader can understand the phrase, ‘‘ forget what has just passed, forget the unfinished sentence which came from my lips. But you cannot understand it — and you never, never shall. As for this dross,’ he said, glancing with glacial contempt toward the treasure in the large tin box, “ do not gossip about having seen it. We live in a secluded place, and it were as well not to suffer whispers to get abroad that may tempt desperate men to a lawless act. And now go, Clarine. Forget, I say, what has passed, and be happy, my dear girl, be happy with your new piano. Henceforth in other things, as in this trifling one, will I study your happi- ness more than I have hitherto done.”’ Monsieur Volney pressed his lips for a moment to his daughter’s forehead, and then gently pushed her from the room. She sped to her own chamber, where she remained for a few minutes to tranquillize her thoughts and compose her feelings before she returned to the drawing-room, for she did not wish to be questioned by Lady Octavian Mere- dith. Her father had enjoined her to forget what had just passed, and though it were impossible to do this, yet at least ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)