The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

60 REYNOLDS’ WORKS “What do you mean, my dear friend?’ she asked; ‘‘ what do you mean by saying that it was here? ”’ Clarine spoke not a word, but led the way toward a little knot of trees higher up the slope, and at about a distance of two hundred yards from the ravine on the escarped side of which they had so suddenly halted. Beneath the shade of those trees the ladies sat down, and Clarine, looking toward the chasm, heaved a profound sigh and murmured, ‘“‘ It was there.” Zoe said nothing, but looked anxiously in Mademoiselle Volney’s face, at the same time pressing her hand to assure her in advance of whatsoever sympathy might properly be yielded to the tale of affliction she was about to tell. For that it was a tale of woe which was presently to issue from Mad- emoiselle Volney’s lips, Zoe could not possibly doubt. ‘Listen to me, my dear friend,” said Clarine, ‘‘ and I will tell you everything, — yes, I will tell you everything. I will re- lieve this surcharged heart of mine. Although my life was so lonely here, yet was it happy enough for several years, because mine was then a disposition which could readily adapt itself to all circumstances, and moreover it was suff- cient for me that my father thought fit to settle our abiding- place in this neighbourhood. My music, my books, and my embroidery or other needlework served to wile away much of my time. It was very rarely indeed that my father invited me to walk out with him, and when I took exercise by myself, I was frequently in the habit of bringing with me a book, which I would either read while walking along, or else I would seat myself in some shade like this to study its pages at my leisure. One day — a few months ago — my father said to me that he feared I must experience the monoto- nous loneliness of the life I was leading, and he volunteered a promise to procure me some eligible female companion- ship. I was rejoiced at his kindness, but assured him that I was perfectly content to live in the way that best suited his own tastes and habits. He nevertheless reiterated his in- tention to adopt the means of affording me some little change or recreation. After this interview I reflected much on what my father had said, and I was pleased at the idea. I remem- ber that the very day following — oh, how could I ever forget that day! Is not its date indelibly graven on my memory? ”’ ECORNIClIOO KS (E(0)