The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 286: what you’re looking at

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

tavia, experiencing a vague and unknown terror, and little divining the turn which the conversa- tion was so speedily to take: but she [elt, whilst she cast down her blushing face benesth the steadfast yet kind looks of her youthful relative, as if he were acquainted with her secret and was about to proclaim to her cars his knowledge of her amoczr, her dishonour, and her affliction. “ You ask to what all this fs to lead, Octavia,” said Arthur, in a tone of gentle remonstrance, “* as if my visit were an intrusion—as if my pre- gence were unweloome. Did I indeed interpret your words and manner in s sense so unac- countable on your part and so little flattering to myself, a seal would at once be placed upon my lips in respect to the communication which I am here to make.” “ Pardon—forgive me, Arthur,” exclaimed Miss Olarendon, extending her hand towards him : “ I have been rnde—nonkind—eccentrico——" “ Say no more upon the subject, Octavia,” in- terrupted Arthur, pressing her fair hand for a moment, and then gently dropping it. “And now listen to me attentively, my fair cousin.” Octavia gazed upon him with more of curi- osity and less of terror in ber looks: for his words, tone, and manner were kind and reassur- ing in the extreme. “You are well aware, my dear in,” re- samed Arthurs, “ that an unfortunate estrange- ment existed until lately between your branch of the family and mine. This breach—which, thank God! had nothing to do with either you or me -—is now healed between our parents; and the two branches have become as it were one family. To speak, however, in a worldly sense,—and I cannot very well avoid touching upon the point, delicate though it be,—your father would natu- rally be pleased to behold Ais branch of the sharing in the honours and enjoying the fortune of the race with which he is connected. More- over, I have reflected, my dear cousin, that an atonement is due from the branch to which I belong unto yours: and duty, inclination, pro- priety, and justicd have prompted me to take the step which I am about to explain to you.” He paused for a few moments, and fixed his eyes upon Octavia's countenance to ascertain if she had begun to comprehend his meaning : bat so troubled did her brain still foel, after that long and terrible conversation with Pauline, that it wae unable to exercise the keenness of persep- tion and the readiness of conjecture which i¢ would have called into play under other circum- stances. Thus, bewildered by the prefatory ob- servations which had just been addressed to her, the young lady returned the earnest looks of the Hon. Arthur Eaton with a vacant gaze of sur- prise, uncertainty, and suspense. ‘You do not understand me, ” he said, with a smile; “and TI seo that I must be more explicit. In a word, I have received from your father not only the agsarance that your affections are disengaged, but likewise his per- mmission to offer you my hand.” “ Arthur—you—you—know not what you say | dang —what you do!” murmured Miss Clarendon, suddenly thrown completely off hér by a communication which se vividly and painfully recalled to her memory the love which she che- rished for the ingrate Prince: then, darting upon him @ look of ineffable anguish, she covered her 376 face with her hands, and, bursting into tears, gave free issue to thepent-up grief which had been ewelling for the last fow minutes in her bosom. “My God! Octavia, what alls you ?—what ie the matter?” inquired Arthur, amazed as well as painfally afilicted by this unaccountable and heartrending behaviour of the young lady, “ If I have said aught to offend you, Octavia, I im- plore your forgiveness. I sought to render you happy, end not bring tears from your eyes. But perhaps you love another, and your affection is a secret? Oh! cherish thet love, then, Oc- tavia, and think not for a single moment that I would seok to wean you away from the object of such an attachment.” “Spare me, Arthur—spare me!” murmured Mies Olarendon, her whole frame convulsing with an inexpressible grief. ‘* Talk not to me of love——” . one word more, Octavia,” interrupted Arthur : “ and that I must say, for my own sake —for yours also! MYearn, then, that mach as I esteem you—deeply as I am interested in your welfare—I do not love you otherwise than as a relative, or as a friend loves a very dear friend. It was not, then, through tho heart’s tender affeo- tion that I demanded your hand, but purely from @ sense df duty. My reasons for believing that there was a duty involved in this step I have al- explained to you; and you can now com- prehend my motives———” “Qh! yes, I perveive that you are the most generous of men!” exclaimed Octavia, all the nobleness of her cousin's intentions and views now bursting upon her mind as a flood of light streams suddenly into a dark cave, illuminating all its recesses. “You would have become my husband in order to make me the sharer of your rank and fortune; so that when Lord March- mont should be summoned to the tomb, my father might be consoled for the loss of a coro- net by beholding it upon the brow of his daugh- ter! Yes, yes, Arthur Eaton, I comprehend it all now; and again I thank you— Oh! how cordially I thank you for this unparalleled geno- rosity. But it may not be, Arihur,” she added, her voice suddenly dropping, and her look bend- ing downward at the same time, whilst a deep crimson glow suffused itaclf over her countenanoe,: anid her neck, even uato her bogom. ‘You love another, then ?” said the young man and, without waiting for a reply, he exclaimed, “ God t that you may be happy, Octavia ?” “Happy !" she repeated, with a sudden start; then, instantly composing herself, she said in a tone of deep and indescribable feeling, “ I thank God, Arthur, that you do not love me: for had I an enemy deserving of my bitterest rancour, I would not wish that he should know what a hopeless attachment is.” ~ “Ah!” ejaculated Eaton: “is it possible, my poor cousin, that your heart cherishes such a ting love as this?” “What have I said? what have I told you ?” exclaimed Octavia, now perceiving that she had béen hurried by her emotions to the vicinage of erous ground. “Do not question me any farther—do not persist in continuing the dis- course upon this topic. I thank you, Arthar— most sincerely thank you—for the honour you have done me and the generosity which you lave displayed towards my father and myself: but I beseech you not to press me for any additional GORMGOOOKS CO