The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 316: what you’re looking at

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

286 THE COURT OF LONDON from sensuous passion; but the voice received its intonation and its accent from a feeling that was calculated to survive satiety. Here, then, was another rival for me; and I found that you were well disposed to plunge headlong into the vortex of pleasure, mystery, and folly thus darkly but enchantingly opened at your feet. When completely under the influence of her charms and her fascinations, you were. oradually drawn on to give an attentive and even eager ear to the avowals which she made relative to her hope of be- coming your bride. She stipulated her conditions, saying, ‘ Make me your wife, and I will stifle the lawsuit which other- Wise must inevitably ruin you in respect to fortune and despoil you of your rank.’ I saw that you would yield, for it was easy to perceive how powerful, how subtle, how well applied were the siren’s fascinations, and how weak was your power of resistance. On quitting the house at four o’clock in the morning, I did not fail to examine it sufficiently . to enable me to recognize it again —”’ ‘And that house, where is it?’’ demanded Florimel. “Tell me, Caroline, tell me, I am dying with impatience! ” ‘Would you return to your siren charmer?” asked the dying young woman, in a tone of mild and melancholy remonstrance. | ‘Not for worlds!” ejaculated Florimel, with the accent and manner of the firmest resolve. ‘‘ It would be as impos- sible to entice an angel to sin, .as for that Unknown, with all her witcheries and wiles, to allure me back to her arms. No, the dream is dissolved, for ever, the spell is broken, never to be renewed, the magic influence has disappeared before the talisman of Pauline’s virtuous love.” “IT am rejoiced to hear you speak thus resolutely, thus firmly,’ said Caroline; “ for I shall die with your name upon my lips, accompanied by a blessing, and God grant that you may henceforth prove stronger than all the fascinations, allurements, and blandishments which a refined sensuality can possibly devise or a consummate artfulness be enabled to practise. Let me, however, hasten to the end of my explana- tory remarks; and then, Gabriel, and then will I breathe in your ear the name of her who must not any longer be an Unknown to you.” ‘“‘ Proceed, Caroline, proceed, 4: bald Lord Florimel, some- what: impatiently. GOomichboo Ss (E(@) m