The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

THE SOLEMN INJUNCTION 45 You do not wish your father to perceive that there is any- thing strange or unusual with you, and yet you are adopting the very course which may betray to him that your knowl- edge of to-day is far different from your knowledge of yesterday.”’ The amiable Zoe continued to reason in this manner, and to give her friend Clarine the best possible advice. She even induced her to sit down and practise at the new piano, but the unhappy Mademoiselle Volney, though doing her best to assume a tranquil exterior, nevertheless seemed as if she had received a blow from which she would never recover. During the dinner-time Zoe was in a continuous appre- hension lest Monsieur Volney should notice the frequent moods of preoccupation and abstraction into which Clarine fell, but fortunately he did not, — or if so, he appeared not to be conscious of the circumstance. He retired as usual to his study soon after dinner; the two ladies passed the evening together, and though Lady Octavian exerted herself to her utmost to cheer Clarine’s spirits, the attempt was evidently ineffectual, for when Clarine forced herself to smile, it was in so sickly a manner that the unhappy young lady’s counte- nance appeared to reflect all the anguish of a breaking heart. As the evening deepened, and the usual hour of separation was drawing nigh, Zoe’s amiable and considerate disposition suggested an idea which, she flattered herself, would be fraught with solace to her suffering friend. ‘““My dear Clarine,”’ she said, ‘‘ you are in such a frame of mind that I do not like to leave you by yourself for so many long, long hours. There is always consolation in the companionship of friendship; suffer me to pass the night with you? ”’ _ Sudden was the start, and for an instant singular and un- accountable was the look, with which Clarine received that kindly meant proposition; then, the next moment winding her arms about Zoe’s neck, she murmured, “‘ No, my dear friend. Think me not ungrateful, think not that I fail to appreciate your generous kindness, but it will be better for me to be alone with my own thoughts, to commune with myself, and to study well the pathway which I have hence- forth to pursue.”’ “I beseech you, Clarine,” persisted Zoe, “‘ to grant me my request. The night is gloomy, the weather has changed since EGOMINGIOOKS (C(O)