Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

24 THE COURT OF LONDON But Mr. Clarendon was not now at home. Years had elapsed since he had made any effort to be reconciled to his proud relations, and, at last, — finding that his income was disproportionately small when compared with the claims that there were upon his income, especially with an aug- menting taxation and the increasing dearness of provisions, — he had resolved to repair to Marchmont Castle, in Derby- shire, and endeavour to seek an interview with his noble cousin, its owner. Considering that his daughters had reached that age when they could take care of themselves during his temporary absence, Mr. Clarendon set out accord- ingly, and only two days had elapsed, since his departure, when the incidents which occupied our first two chapters took place. Before, however, we resume the thread of our narrative, we must pause for a few moments to describe Octavia and Pauline Clarendon. They were both tall, elegantly shaped, and possessing a maturity of charms which made them seem two or three years older than they really were, for at this time Octavia was twenty-one, and Pauline a month or two past nineteen. Their style of loveliness was pretty nearly the same, except that Octavia’s hair was a rich auburn, and her sister’s a dark brown; but their complexions were equally fair and beauti- ful, without spot or blemish, and reminding the beholder of the most delicate blending of the hues of the rose with the purity of the lily. Their foreheads were high and open, their mouths small, and with lips red and ripe as cherries, and their teeth of pearly whiteness. Their eyes were of dark blue, large and ‘rolling, and at times expressing an involuntary tenderness that gave a voluptuous langour to the counte- nances of these charming sisters. Octavia and Pauline were tall in stature, as we have al- ready observed; but we might have stated that they were above the usual height of women. Indeed, they were fine- grown girls, —and not merely beautiful, but handsome. Whom to prefer of the two, on the score of loveliness, it would have been difficult to decide; for if there were some- thing more subdued and retiring in the blushing charms of Pauline, yet it was impossible to gaze without the tenderest emotions on the more imposing and queenly beauty of Octavia, especially when the light, playing upon the rich CONNIE OOO KS (E(@) m