The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

THE TWO ACCIDENTS 141 much injured, and moreover it was impossible to think of trusting their lives again to the vicious runaways. Fortu- nately at this moment a carriage drove up to the spot; it contained only a gentleman, and he at once proffered any assistance that he might be enabled to afford. A footman in attendance upon his carriage was accordingly commissioned to take charge of the phaeton, and drive it back to the Regent’s Park, while Lord Octavian, Zoe, and Christina took their seats inside the carriage. During the drive to London, Christina manifested the tenderest solicitude toward Zoe, who continued deadly pale, and appeared to have re- ceived a more powerful shock than she chose to confess. Her voice was low and plaintive, but marked by an ineffable sweetness, and from time to time she hurriedly raised her kerchief to her face as if wiping away tears. Christina and Octavian were therefore confirmed in the opinion which they had both alike formed: namely, that Zoe had experienced hysterical results from the accident. The gentleman to whom the carriage belonged kindly took his companions to their residence in the Regent’s Park, although his own destination was in the first instance quite at another point of the metropolis. When once more at home, Zoe sought her couch, by the side of which Christina declared her intention to remain. Lady Octavian besought her to retire to her own room and rest herself likewise, but our young heroine, experiencing now only very partial effects from the accident, would not listen to the entreaty. Octa- vian sent for a physician, who prescribed what he thought requisite for Zoe, and agreeing with the others that she was somewhat hysterical, he ordered her to be kept extremely quiet. The medicament he administered doubtless contained some opiate, for shortly after it was taken, Zoe sank into a profound slumber, and Christina remained watching by her side. And now we have some leisure to speak of Christina’s thoughts. A portion of the ejaculations which burst from Octavian’s lips, as he held her in his arms on the scene of the accident, had fallen upon her ears. Besides, had she not the fact present and patent to her knowledge that Octavian had shown the first solicitude on her behalf, instead of flying to the succour of the one who had the prior claim? How- ever uncertain she might before have been as to Lord Octa- ECORNICLOO Ss (E() mM