The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 311: what you’re looking at

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

| “Not a syllable, cir f° was the response, delivered avea ia a stera tone, “Nay—then you must hear me perforce,” ex- claimed his Royal Highness, leaning his back against the known to her his fiendish resolves : but her manner—her air—her looks were those of a young creature on whom a tremendous consternation has fallen, paralyzing every organ—etupefying every sense in abeyance. —retaining every Gloatingly over her slight but exquisitely mo- delled figure, wandered the eyes of the Prince; and although the body of her dress was so mo- destly fashioned, that not even a glimpse could be form to the bed which stood near,—“delay not in rendering me com. pletely happy—and my life shall be devoted tw At that instant the girl awoke as it were from the sod with the vividoow of lightalng did’ ht id a thought strike her. 6 “Mr. Harley,” she said, forcing herself even to enile faintly, ~ you expect too easy a conquest—and gou will not value it.” “Oh! this is indeed an anexpected bliss—to hear you talk thus—to find that you de not repulse me any longer !’’ exclaimed the Prince, intoxicated with delight. “Camilla—sweetest Camilla——.” young girl, bending down her looks, while ber cheeks became Aeshed with the deepest crimson, — “you will retire immediately—and to-morrow I shall be happy to listen to you ——..” “No—so—we camiot separate thus, dear area ture f” djeculated his Royel Highness. “| beseseh you—it to render me com you~ I implore you pletely happy “Leave me, then, for half-an-hour — twenty minutes—or even ten minutes,” interrupted speaking in a low tone but with rapid utterance “ Have pity upon my shame—my confusion - “ Yes—for ten minutes will [ leave you, sweetest choose te lay aside her apparel in his presence. “ One kiss first only one kiss as a foretaste of the inde. scribable joys ——” “ No—not now—not now !” cried the orphan hys- terically, as he approached her with outstretched arms. “If I must surrender myself to you, let # be in total obscurity—utter darkness ——’ “ I¢ shall be as you desire,” exclaimed the Prinea, ‘ around the small but - chamber to assure himself that no second door by which the beauteous bird might take wing into a place of security: then, satisfied that escape was impossible and that she was com- pletely in his power, he said, “Ten minutes only, my angel—ten minutes of mortal delay—and at the ax- piration of the interval, I shall return to find you ready.to clasp me in your arms.” And glancing significantly towards the couch, be The moment he had crossed the threshold, Camilla Then, without an instant’s delay, the heraic girl noiselessly but speedily co the execution of the plan which had struck her as the only alter- native to be adopted for the purpose of rescuing her- self from the power of a man so resolutely bent upos Armed with a desperate courage — that courage which could alone have prompted her pure soul te have recourse to the stratagem of appearing to yield to the villain’s wishes in order to induce him to quit the room—Camilla Morton addressed herself to the task which she had in hand. Stripping the sheets from the bed, she rolled them up in a suitable maa- ner and fastened them together; then she took the scissors which were suspended to a riband beneath her apron, and in a few minutes the bed-curtains were cut down. The window-drapery was next ealled into requisition; and with all these materials, Camilla speedily made a long, stout, and efficient rope, expired—and the Prince The ten minutes had now knocked impatiently at the door. But solightly had the young girl moved about the room—so cautiously had she conducted her operations—so skilfully had abe hushed even the sounds of the scissors, that the : eir-apparent entertained not the slightest suspicion of her design or the faintest idea of her proceedings His desires—heightened by the gloating revels of his own sensual imagination—alene rendered him ium- patient: for he pictured to himself the sweet virgia charms, which he conoeived to be by this time di- vested of their apparel, in readiness to be offered ag as a rich banquet to his salacious appetite. Impatiently, then, did he knock at the door; and the sweet voice of the orphan murmured from the other side, “Only another minute, Mr. Harley, and you may entes!* The Prinee was in raptures: he already felt an if CORNICE OOO ©) CO