The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

230 REYNOLDS’ WORKS should it be kept secret? And again, if she loved another without as yet being formally engaged, would she not in her frankness have proclaimed the fact, in order to mitigate the mortification occasioned by this refusal? But to refuse without alleging a reason was an act so different from the idea he had formed of her character that he was astonished at the same time that his manly pride was necessarily wounded. ‘“ Your ladyship will at least pardon me,”’ he said, at last breaking silence, “‘ for having ventured to address you in such terms — ”’ ‘1 think, Captain Stanley,’’ she interrupted him, ‘ that the way in which I answered you must have sufficiently proven that I felt honoured and flattered by your prefer- ence, and therefore I could not be offended. No, believe me, Iam not. I feel — I know that I ought to be more explicit, but — ”’ She stopped short, and the tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She hastily brushed them away, and with a smile of the most amiable ingenuousness, she proffered her hand, saying, ‘‘ Let us continue friends. You are the friend of my brother, you must be my friend likewise, and I shall never fail to entertain a grateful sense of the services which you have rendered me.”’ ‘““'Yes,” said Captain Stanley, “ we will be friends,’ and with an expression of manly frankness upon his counte- nance, blending likewise with joy, he accepted and warmly pressed the hand which was tendered him. A conjecture, raised up in his mind by the talismanic touch of hope’s creative wand, diffused that joy over his features. He fancied that he had suddenly read the mys- tery of Christina’s conduct. She felt that she did not as yet love him sufficiently to accept his suit, but she already regarded him as a friend; and when she came to know him better, this feeling of friendship might expand into a more tender sentiment. Such was the construction which Robert Stanley put upon her behaviour, and it was natural enough. His pride ceased to be wounded, his sense of mortification was set at rest, his astonishment vanished, and he was en- abled at once to begin conversing on general topics with the easy, well-bred familiarity of friendship. On the other hand, Christina thought that her companion was only pur- Gomiuilcboc CS (E(0)