The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

62 REYNOLDS’ WORKS deliverer hanging over me. When I tell you, Zoe, that he is the handsomest of men, — at least in my eyes, — that he is gifted with a rare intelligence, that his manners are fascinating, that his conversation has charms such as I never experienced before — ”’ ‘“T understand you, my sweet friend,’ murmured Zoe, mournfully, for as it now proved to be a tale of love to which she was thus listening, she was most painfully reminded of that love of hers which had at first been her joy but had since proved the source of so much misery. “Yes, I love him, — love him passionately,’’ resumed Clarine, with a violent burst of feeling. ‘‘ But I forgot — I am wandering from the continuous routine of my narrative. My deliverer knew who I was; he had been in this neigh- bourhood a day or two previous to the adventure which thus threw us together, and I gathered from what he said that I had been pointed out to him. I could not find words to express my gratitude for the service he had rendered me at the peril of his own life, and I invited him to the chateau that he might receive my father’s thanks likewise. But he declined, and in the gentlest manner he counselled me not to inform my father of what had happened, arguing that it was useless to distress him on account of a danger that was passed. I considered that one who had rescued me from de- struction had a right to proffer his advice, and I promised to follow it. Besides, my thoughts were all in such confusion that I had not the power to deliberate calmly with myself. We parted, and on returning to the chateau, I did my best to compose my troubled feelings. My father did not return home till the dinner-hour; he was wearied and ill, — he had evidently been rambling far, — and thus if I had experienced any inclination to act contrary to the advice of my unknown deliverer, my father’s state of mind and body would have rendered me obedient to that well-meant advice. I therefore said nothing on the subject. For the next two or three days my father was confined to his bed, and to distress him under such circumstances with the revelation of my adventure was now totally out of the question. I continued in at- tendance upon him, and when he was restored to health again, it was too late to mention the incident.” ‘Confess the truth, my dear Clarine,”’ said Zoe, with a sweet melancholy smile, ‘“‘ that handsome stranger had on the ECORNICLIIOOKS (E(0)