The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

6 THE COURT OF LONDON countenance expressing the intense anxiety with which the response was awaited. ‘““My dear girl, ’? said her Grace, profoundly affected, *‘ your surmise is indeed too true. But, in the name of God, - tranquillize yourself — ” ‘No, I cannot become tranquil,’ exclaimed Pauline, springing straight up like a galvanized body. ‘“ Something must now be done, a decisive course must be taken; I can deceive my father no longer. He is not at home now, but he will return presently, and then, oh, then,” she added, wildly, ‘‘ I shall throw myself upon my knees before him, I shall tell him all, and I shall implore his forgiveness on behalf of my poor ruined sister.”’ She paused, seated herself on the sofa, and appeared to reflect profoundly for upwards of a minute. At length Lord Florimel approached her, and, taking her hand, he pressed it to his lips, saying, ‘‘ My beloved Pauline, I beseech, I implore you to compose yourself. All may not be so bad as you imagine — ” “Tt is impossible that the aspect of my poor sister’s posi- tion can be worse, Gabriel,” interrupted the young maiden, in a tone of profound feeling; and then followed another outburst of indescribable anguish. ‘“‘ Listen to me, my sweet young friend,” said the Duchess of Devonshire, when the violence of this new paroxysm of Pauline’s affliction had somewhat subsided; and placing herself by the young lady’s side on the sofa, Georgiana took her hand with every demonstration of affection, observing, “You are endowed, Pauline, with a strong mind and excel- lent sense, and I am certain that you will look this mis- fortune courageously in the face. For that any harm which happens to your sister becomes a misfortune to yourself, I am well aware, so great is the affection existing between you both. But what course does prudence now recommend? ° That the veil of secrecy shall be drawn as completely as possible around this lamentable occurrence, and that the world shall not be suffered to learn the real cause of Octavia’s affliction. She is now in a comfortable retirement, sur- rounded by all the gentle ministrations and affectionate attentions which friendship can suggest and which her posi- tion demands. An eminent medical practitioner devotes himself to her cure; and he last evening declared to me most (€X@) mG 6)(0)©) CO)