The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XII YOUTHFUL LOVE _ Iv was a serene but profound happiness which the youth- ful lovers now enjoyed, for lovers they assuredly were, al- though as yet no syllable from our young hero’s lips had re- vealed the affection which he experienced. But the eyes speak a language more eloquent than that of the tongue, and the sympathies of two hearts, pouring forth in reciprocal transfusion, gentle and unseen, make mutual revelations which are not to be mistaken. When hand touches hand and the pulses of the two beat quicker, when the gaze of the lover settles in respectful tenderness and bashful admiration upon the countenance of the adored one, as if his eyes would penetrate through the mirror of her own orbs, deep down into her heart’s tabernacle and feast their looks upon the hived sweetness of her own pure love, and when her eyes, modestly sinking beneath that gaze, veil themselves with the richly fringed lids, then is love’s tale told on the one hand and un- derstood on the other, — reciprocated too as well as under- stood, though not a syllable from the lips may pass between the enamoured pair. Thus was it with Christian Ashton and Isabella Vincent. In the presence of the earl, Lord Osmond and the countess were exceedingly upon their guard, and as the young noble- man had every reason to be rejoiced that Christian was now so much brought within the sphere of the family circle, he had not the slightest notion of interfering in respect to the loves of the youth and Isabella. For that such an affection subsisted between them was visible enough to any eyes save those of the foolish old earl. Christian joined them in their rambles in the garden, and as he walked with Isabella, it necessarily threw the countess and Adolphus together with- 159 CONMIC DOO) “S (E(©) mM