The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

142 REYNOLDS’ WORKS vian’s sentiments, she could doubt them no longer now. And, alas, too, she could not conceal from herself that she on her own side felt not as her sense of duty told her that she ought to feel. On the contrary, there was for an instant a soft thrill of pleasure in her soul as she recalled to mind that ejaculation, ‘“‘ O Christina!’ There was a world of avowal in that ejaculation; it was unmistakable, it was more than the eloquence of ten thousand tongues, — it was the very heart itself laid bare. Thus reflected Christina, but now her mind was made up how to act, and this resolve being taken, she felt more at ease. When it was announced to her that dinner was served up in the dining-room, she requested that a morsel of food might be brought to her in Lady Octavian’s chamber, where she was resolved to remain. Zoe slept until the evening, and when she awoke and found Christina still seated by her side, and saw by the tray which by accident was not as yet removed that our heroine had dined there, she took her hand, drew her gently down toward her, and circling the young girl’s neck with her arms, strained her to her bosom. She could not at first find words wherewith to express all her gratitude, but presently she burst into tears. These relieved her surcharged heart, and then she murmured forth in a broken voice her thanks for all Christina’s kindness. Lord Octavian now entered the room to make inquiries concerning his wife, and Zoe, smiling up at him with an amiable sweetness, assured him in a low, plaintive voice that she should be better soon. He bent down to kiss her, and she embraced him fervently. Octavian spoke of having a nurse to sit up with her ladyship, but Christina at once said in a voice, the firmness of which showed that she would take no refusal, ‘‘ That is my duty, and I intend to discharge it.”’ Zoe remonstrated with all that sweetness which was natu- ral to her, and which now seemed more than ever amiable, invested as it was with the serene but plaintive melancholy that was upon her, but Christina was not to be dissuaded. Octavian withdrew, and our young heroine remained to keep the vigil by Zoe’s bedside. On the following day the physician discovered symptoms of fever on the part of his patient; they progressed rapidly, and in a few hours Zoe was seriously ill. During the night she EORnICLOOOKS