The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. 69 you must also assure her that I, on my part, will leave nothing unattempted or undone in order to cover her secret with an impenetrable veil. Now, my dear Gabriel, will you do all this for me——” “And my reward, Pauline?—what shall be my reward?” exclaimed the nobleman, extending his arms towards her. But a sudden change came over the young maiden: all her agitation—all her excitement abandoned her in a moment,—sinking down into a cold astonish- ment, if we may be allowed the expression ;—or, in other and more explicit terms, the generous fervour of her reliance and the ingenuous warmth of her confidence in respect to Lord Florimel, received such an instantaneous shock, that she gazed upon him with the freezing hauteur of disdain and con- tempt, and also with the steadfastness of surprise at that abrupt and unexpected manifestation of his in- tense selfishness. “You do not love me, my lord,” she at length ob- served, in a tone indicative of profound disappoint- ment: “nor do you even entertain the slightest particle of friendship towards me.” “Unkind Pauline! wherefore thus plant a dagger in my heart ?” demanded Florimel. “T have been deceived in you—cruelly deceived,” resumed the maiden, drawing back her chair a few paces, and waving her hand imperiously to forbid the nobleman from daring to approach her: then, again wrapping her mantle closely around her, she said, “I had already forgotten the treachery with which our interview this night commenced on your side—because the discovery of that perfidious con- duct was succeeded by an interval of apparent generosity on your part. Yes—I was willing to par- don the behaviour which, at one time in the course of these long hours that we have passed together, I stigmatised as black and cowardly: I was willing to forget it, on account of the contrition that your lord- ship seemed to manifest. And, oh! I now indeed perceive,’ she added bitterly, “that I am passing from a state of complete innocence with regard to the world, into the noviciate of experience—and the first fruits of this new study are sour enough, I can assure you! I thought to trust you asa friend—to confide in you as—as ae And here her voice became suddenly choked with emotions. “ As a lover—as a husband!’ Lord Florimel has- tened to add. “Oh! donot lose all confidence in me, my adored one,” he continued, speaking from the depths of a heart which remorse had again touched: for there was something in the dignified reproaches of Pauline that overawed the youthful libertine and compelled him to gaze upon his own selfishness in all its most ghastly and repulsive shades. “ Let me be candid with you, Lord Florimel,” said Pauline, who had herself undergone such a variety of feelings and emotions during the last few hours, that she received therefrom many rapidly acquired teachings in the schocl of experience, and from the same source had drawn an inspiration enabling her to read the more profoundly into the true character and disposition of her noble companion: “let me be candid with you, Lord Florimel,’” she said. “A veil has fallen from my eyes—a light has dawned in upon my soul—and I already see many things differently from the view I had been accustomed to take of them. I can even understand how love may lead to error—and I pity rather than blame my unfortunate sister. Oh! yes—I feel how weak is woman, and how strong are the temptations which she has to resist. Nay—I have this night experienced those sensations which prove to me beyond all doubt that I likewise am weak, and that there have been moments during our interview when I was standing upon the verge of a precipice. But the sense of that very weakness, Lord Florimel, shall henceforth constitute my strength: a full and perfect comprehension cf the dangers which beset my path, shall supply a rigid and unvarying prudence for any lack of strictly virtuous principles within me. Learn, then, that if your lordship should renew those honourable pro- posals which youere now made, I feel that I can love you—aye, and devotedly : but if your lordship should dare to utter a word or make a gesture calculated to insult me, I will that moment seek refuge with my father—throw myself at his feet—confess all that has occurred—and leave him to punish you.” Itis scarcely possible to convey an adequate idea of the effect produced on the young nobleman by this long, impressive, and dignified address. Here was a lovely virgin, of tender age, proclaiming her own weakness—acknowledging her own deficiency in that deeply-rooted principle of female virtue which a mother’s delicate teachings and familiar inculca- tions can alone implant in the bosom of girlhood,— aud yet boldly assuring her lover, into whose trea- cherous designs she had fully penetrated, that the very sense of her own liability to fall should be con- verted by her strength of mind into a fortalice of | defence ! Again was his soul stricken with remorse—avgain did a feeling of fervent admiration spring up within him—and again did a chivalrous enthusiasm take possession of him in respect to that bright and beau- teous being whose conduct was so well calculated to win the approval of a generous heart. “ Pauline—my beloved Pauline,’ he murmured, in a contrite tone, “you have worked a great and signal change within me. On my knees—yes, on my knees—do I implore your pardon for all that has been bad and wicked in my behaviour towards you this night.” And Gabriel sank into a suppliant posture before her as he thus spoke. The amiable but strong-minded girl extended her hand, which he took in both his own and pressed respectfully to his lips; and she did not attempt to withdraw it. For that same experience—or rather intuitive knowledge—which had so suddenly made her sensible of the excellence of female virtue and the dangers that surrounded it, also prevented her from falling into the extreme of a ridiculous prudery. “Do not kneel to me, my lord,’ she said, in a kind and encouraging tone. ‘ Remember, I am but a humble girl—and you are a great nobleman.” “And my pride shall be to make a great lady of you, adorable Pauline,” responded Florimel, as he rose from his suppliant posture and resumed his chair. “ And now tell me what you wish me to do— or rather, give me your instructions, and I will obey them.” “Ok! how well could I think of your sex, were you always to adopt this demeanour towards me,” exclaimed Pauline. “ Now do I recognise in you everything generous, and noble, and good, which properly belongs to man.” “IfIbe thus changed, Pauline,” said Florimel, Com Gbooksreonm