The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

254 REYNOLDS’ WORKS “‘ What mean you? ” inquired the agitated, the astonished, and the bewildered girl, her heart fluttering with suspense. ‘“‘T mean, my dear cousin, that here is some one whom you may perhaps be glad to meet.” These last words were spoken just as the little party reached the end of the avenue where the private door stood, and at the same moment a key was heard to turn in the lock of that door. It opened, and a faint ery of mingled sur- prise and delight burst from Isabella’s lips, as she beheld Christian Ashton. ‘“‘ We will leave you together for half an hour,” said Lord Osmond, and he hurried the countess away from the spot. Isabella, well-nigh overcome by her feelings, sank half- fainting into Christian’s arms; he strained her to his breast, breathing the tenderest and most endearing words in her ear. He explained to her how he had earnestly longed for one parting interview, how Lord Osmond had kindly volunteered to procure it, and how a note enclosing a key of the gate, and instructing him in what manner to proceed, had been left a few minutes back at his lodgings. Who the person was that left it, Christian did not know, but we need hardly inform the reader it was the valet Makepeace. And were not the lovers happy? And did they not feel themselves supremely blest? Was it likely that they should yield to timid apprehensions, and on that account cut short the pure pleasure, the chaste luxury, of this interview? Or need we say that the vows of eternal love which the enrap- tured youth sought from the lips of the tender maiden were murmuringly whispered, that those vows were reciprocated, and that they were ratified with the purest and holiest kisses? | They walked together in that shady avenue for nearly an hour, Adolphus and Ethel having thus well-nigh doubled the interval to which the young nobleman had in the first instance limited the meeting, and during this space every- thing was forgotten by the youthful pair except the happiness of being thus together. So rapidly slipped away the time that when Adolphus and Ethel again joined them, it seemed as if the interview had lasted but for five minutes instead of fifty. It was at the extremity of the avenue which was near- est to the conservatories that the youthful lovers were thus rejoined by Lord Osmond and the Countess of Lascelles, EORNICLOOO