The Argosy — page 241: what you’re looking at

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

Parkwater. 229 effect was conveyed to the sympathising Lady Tennygal, who carried her some aromatic vinegar with her own hands. When the family were departing for church, the Countess knocked at the door of her brother's apartments, which were on the same floor as her own. ‘“ Theodore,” she called out, ‘‘do come to church with us for once.” ‘“* Much obliged for the invitation,” he answered, from within. “I shan’t be up till you are back again. You and Tennygal can pray for me, you know.” Yet Captain Devereux was up then: and his sister, with a sigh at his mocking tone, joined her husband and children. Surely Sophia May’s better angel was away that day! Otherwise she never would have allowed the clandestine interview. It was sufficiently harmless in itself, but it laid the foundation for much deception, that was destined in time to bring forth terrible fruit. She sat in her sitting-room, Lady Tennygal’s vinaigrette on the table by her side, and her handkerchief saturated with eau de cologne inher hand. Captain Devereux stood by the open window, listening to her complaints of the pain her head gave her, and speculating within himself upon whether it ached or not. After all, he wanted nothing particular. Nothing but to pass an idle hour with her and assure her that he cared for nobody but her: that he never had cared for anybody else in the world. The hour passed very quickly. From his post at the window he soon saw Lord and Lady Tennygal approaching in the distance, on their way from church, with their children and servants. Captain Devereux tore himself away from Miss May’s fascinating presence, as he styled it, and withdrew to his own room, lingering yet a moment to reiterate his affection for her, and to assert that, now it had set in, it would last for ever. Sophia believed him all too readily. “He sighed, he vowed, and she believed him,” runs the old song, or to that effect. But the same old song says, ‘‘ When men flatter, sigh, and languish, think them false—I found them so.” Sophia listened, and believed; her heart beating, her pulses thrilling ; her whole being filled with one intense passionate love for Theodore Devereux. For that day, at least, she was sure of seeing him again, for they would presently meet at the dining-room luncheon ; and the bliss the thought brought to her was unspeakable. After to-day—well, Captain Devereux had told herthat she must contrive to meet him, or else he should die : he would snatch a convenient moment to wait upon her in the schoolroom, and she must take a run in the grounds occasionally without those little brats. Sophia tacitly acquiesced. She had no thought of harm in doing so, or that harm would come of it. The only thing presenting ‘itself to her mind was the necessity of concealing it from the knowledge of Lord and Lady Tennygal. They would be sure not to approve of it. ecomniclooolkks _ (CO)