The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

A MEETING OF OLD ACQUAINTANCES = 239 suffering enough in this world, and if it lay within the power of any man to ensure your happiness by cutting his right hand off, it should be cheerfully done by Tim Meagles.”’ The tears rolled down the cheeks of Rose Foster as she saw by her friend’s swimming eyes, and quivering lips, and muscular nervousness of features how deeply he was moved, how profoundly affected; and she comprehended that he loved her well and that he was waiving all claim upon her heart and hand as a sacrifice which he generously made to her happiness. ‘Yes, I was a madman and a fool ever to dream of possess- ing thee, Rose,’ he said, after a short pause, during which he gazed upon her with an earnest and yet most respectful admiration; ‘‘ such a gem as thou art was not formed to place in a diadem made of dross, but in a crown of the purest gold! Well, mayst thou be happy, sweet girl, with whomso- ever thou shalt mate thyself, and never, never shalt thou want a friend so long as thou hast confidence in plain, blunt Tim Meagles.”’ Thus speaking, he imprinted a kiss upon her white and stainless brow; nor with a maudlin prudery did she turn away. On the contrary, she received that kiss as if it were bestowed upon her by a brother, —a kiss from which she would not have shrunk had.George Woodfall himself been present, and which she would not be ashamed to own when next they met. | ‘“‘ And now, Rose,’ said Meagles, after drinking a glass of the wine which had been placed on a side table, “‘ I shall bid you farewell for the present; in a few days you may expect to see me again, and henceforth,” he added, with a solemn significancy, “‘ I shall regard you as a friend — as a sister.”’ Rose pressed his hand in acknowledgment of-the kind feeling which prompted this assurance, and Meagles then took his leave of the orphan daughter of the suicide merchant. ‘* Well, I feel happier and more composed now that I have seen her,’ said Tim to himself, as he threaded the gardens of the priory. “ If she had accepted my suit, I should certainly have proved faithless to poor Letitia, and that would have been a scoundrel’s trick on my part; but as Rose is already provided with a lover, I am saved from anything like treachery toward the Amazon.. So, after all, Letitia will be my wife,—a marchioness, no doubt, — CONMUC 6)(0)0) eS m