The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

320 THE COURT OF LONDON The brief pause which followed the observations relative | to Stratton Street, Hanover Square, and Louisa’s sister was interrupted by Lady Ernestina Dysart observing, ‘‘ My dear girl, I cannot suffer you to look thus dull and miserable.”’ ‘““Ah! dear lady,” said Louisa, with a profound sigh, “I have so much to render me unhappy.” ‘“ Nothing, absolutely nothing,” returned Lady Ernestina, ‘but the loss of a young man who appears to be utterly unworthy of the love you bestowed upon him.” ‘Oh, treat not the circumstance so lightly,’ exclaimed Louisa, both shocked and amazed at the remark; for all Ernestina’s previous allusions to the subject had been expressive of a tender condolence and delicate sympathy. ‘“‘ Dearest Louisa,’ cried the artful patrician, ‘“ not for a moment did I mean to vex or startle you; but I was merely about to introduce a truth which you yourself will recognize sooner or later, namely, that the self-styled Jocelyn Loftus is not the only handsome, intelligent, and fascinating young gentleman in the world.”’ “Oh, Lady Ernestina, if a stranger had made that obser- vation to me,” exclaimed Louisa, now more painfully sur- prised and deeply shocked than at first, ‘‘I should have regarded it either as an insult or else as a sign of unfeeling thoughtlessness.”’ ‘“T am addressing you, my dear young friend,” said Er- nestina, ‘“‘ as a woman of the world should address a young and inexperienced girl.’’ ‘“‘ Ah! lady,” said Louisa, with a look of angelic frankness, “‘ never, never shall I obey the dictates of any influence save the natural impulses of my own heart. I have loved Jocelyn tenderly and well; and, oh, despite his deep, deep criminality, I love him, yes, love him as tenderly and devotedly still. But there is within me, lady, a feeling superior even to that fond and now hopeless love of mine; and this feeling is a sense of duty which tells me that henceforth Jocelyn must ever remain a stranger to me in the world, no matter how fondly his image may be cherished in my heart.’ “This is the way young maidens always talk when dis- appointed in their first love,’ said Ernestina, watching Louisa’s countenance attentively to see how she took the remark, and whether it would be prudent to venture any further at present. Then, perceiving that the damsel be- (COMMIC NOC KS (E(0)