Penny Dreadfuls, 1870 · page 360 of 392
The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 360: what you’re looking at
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\ THE SISTERS 343 impulse of your feelings and resolved upon repairing to Paris. Under the circumstances I should have done the same; and therefore I do not blame you.” “Thank you, dear sister, thank you for that assurance,”’ exclaimed Louisa, smiling through the tears which had started forth upon her lashes as she spoke of her aunt. “ Yes, it is as you have said. Driven wild with fearful misgivings, half-frenzied and delirious, hurried along, as it were, by an overwhelming torrent of feeling, I became powerless for anything like calm deliberation. Mary Owen promised to bestow the most unwearied attention upon my aunt, and to take my place in all tender ministrations toward her. I knew that my young friend was kind-hearted, affectionate, and sincere, and I entertained not the slightest apprehension that our afflicted relation would experience neglect at her hands. Thus, after a few very brief preparations, my departure was taken hurriedly; and without any adventure worth relating, I arrived safely in Paris. Immediately on reaching the French capital, I repaired to the British consul; and when I mentioned my name, he treated me with a kind- ness of manner so fully reassuring and even paternal that I was struck with the idea that he himself must be the author of the letter which was signed by an unknown friend. But in this respect I was speedily undeceived; for, after a few observations to the purport that an excellent and kind- hearted English nobleman was really the author of that letter, and was interesting himself in my behalf, the consul directed me to a hotel close at hand, where I was to inquire for the Marquis of Leveson. You may well understand, my dear Clara, that the moment this name struck upon my ears it carried a vague and unknown terror into the depths of my soul; for although [ had heard but little of this noble- man from the lips of Mary Owen, yet this little was not in his favour.” Here we must pause for a moment to remind our reader that when Jocelyn had introduced Mary Owen to the cottage at Canterbury, he had carefully forborne from mentioning to Louisa anything beyond the mere outline of the atrocious conspiracy that was afoot against the Princess of Wales. Especially did he avoid alluding to the infamous means which had been adopted to demoralize the minds of the fair daughters of Mrs. Owen; and Mary herself, with a proper COMNICOO© Ss (SO)