The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

236 THE COURT OF LONDON weapon, inasmuch as it steals insidiously into that heart from which the more boldly played artillery of other charms has innocuously rebounded. “It 1s one of those incidents which are more frequently encountered in novels than in real life,’ answered Loftus, sorry in his heart that the previously prevailing silence was thus broken by renewed discourse; and at the same time it struck him that the young lady’s voice had undergone some slight change since she had last spoken. Indeed, a vague and undefined suspicion stole gradually into the breast of our young hero that this voice, as he had last heard it, was not altogether unknown to him. “What would the world think if it knew of this adven- ture?’ continued Laura, her voice appearing as if it were passing from a previously feigned to a now more natural tone, as if she either forgot that she had previously been disguising that voice somewhat, or as if she were now pur- posely allowing it to resume its wonted intonation. “The world will never know from my lips anything that might be disagreeable or unpleasant,’’ observed Joce- lyn, a vague feeling of uneasiness now coming over him as his suspicions relative to the voice grew stronger and stronger. Not that he could yet call to mind where he had ever heard that voice before, even if he had really ever heard it at all until this night. but he was full certain that it was undergoing a gradual change from an assumed melody to its natural one. ‘Ah! you do not think, Mr. Loftus,’ observed Laura, her voice becoming more tremulous, as if vibrating with some strong feeling or growing passion, “‘ you do not think that the world would give us credit for being such a good girl and boy as we really are? You fancy that the world, like a too suspicious parent, would be certain to believe that we have been naughty children? ” ‘Heavens, Miss Linden! ” exclaimed Loftus, shocked at the gross indelicacy of the remark, and therefore speaking in a tone of unmistakable displeasure, “ let us not talk in this strain. Indeed, unless you compose yourself to sleep, you will be thoroughly exhausted with fatigue and totally unfit to encounter all that we may have to accomplish to-morrow night.”’ Gomichbooks;com