The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 349: what you’re looking at

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

THE TWO NOBLEMEN 315 blindfolded me once more, conducted me along the passage back to the staircase, which we descended, and thence led me forth into the enclosure, the gravel walk of which we threaded in a profound silence. But she held both my hands clasped in her own; and I guessed that her motive was to prevent me from raising the handkerchief surrepti- tiously from my eyes and thereby obtaining even that in- distinct view of surrounding objects which may be some- times procured between six and seven o’clock on a morning in the middle of winter. But I should not have attempted to penetrate her secret or solve the mystery of who she might be and where I was; no, I should not have moved the handkerchief a hair’s breadth from my eyes, even if my hands had been free. For I experienced at the moment a boundless gratitude toward that lady who had chosen me as the object of her sensual fantasy and who had thereby led me to pass four hours and upwards in the paradise of her society. Therefore was it that when we passed out of the gate of the enclosure, and I knew by the sounds of horses champing their bits that a carriage was in attendance, therefore was it, I say, that I implored her in a deep and fervid whisper, to grant me an early repetition of the pleasure which I had enjoyed. ‘ Yes, dear Florimel,’ she murmured, also in a voice tremulous with the reminiscences of recent delights, ‘ we will soon meet again. I shall not fail to adopt measures to bring you to my arms once more.’ And then she pressed both my hands with ineffable tenderness; and in the next moment I was lifted, as it were, into the carriage, I have no doubt by the same vigorous arm which had per- formed a like feat at the gate of Devonshire House. The steps were raised rapidly, the door was closed with equal haste, and away, away was I whirled from the scene of that paradise of four hours’ enjoyment.” ‘And then you tore off the bandage, you looked out of the carriage window — ”’ exclaimed Montgomery, actually exciting himself by the strength of the interest wherewith he allowed his friend’s narrative to carry him away. ‘Indeed, I did no such thing,” interrupted Florimel; “and even if I had so instantaneously torn off the handker- chief, the proceeding would have been useless, as you shall presently learn. But the truth is that the moment I was thrown, as it were, upon the soft cushions of the carriage (C(O) mG } KS \