The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

THE FEMALE GARB 91 For Heaven’s sake do not hurt me,” he said, so soon as he could recover the power of speech, ‘‘ and I will do what- ever you order me.”’ _“ You sneaking, grovelling, despicable coward,’’ exclaimed Tash, who entertained the most cordial hatred for the colonel, “ what a pretty figure you are doubtless cutting now, if I had but a light to see you! ” “Oh, do get a light, Captain Tash,’ implored Malpas, to whom the darkness was fraught with indescribable terrovs, for he every instant fancied that some assassin blow would be dealt him. “‘ I know that it serves me very right, what - you are doing or what you intend to do, but, for Heaven’s sake, forgive me, and I swear by everything sacred that I will molest Lady Sackville no more.” “ Ah! you will swear that, will you?” said the captain, who now began to have a dim, though still very dim, idea of the truth relative to this night’s adventure. At all events, it struck him that there was plot and counterplot on the part of Malpas and Venetia respectively, and of course the captain, for more reasons than one, was well disposed to take the part of Lady Sackville. ‘‘ And so you swear,’’ he accordingly said, “ that you will never molest her lady- ship again? ” “Yes, I swear, I swear most solemnly,’ said the colonel, still in accents indicative of the profoundest alarm. ‘‘ There- tore I beseech you to spare me, [ implore you not to do me a mischief, nor to suffer one to be done me.” “Well, it was my intention,’ observed Captain Tash, delighted to have the opportunity of torturing the wretched coward, “‘ to cut your throat from ear to. ear.”’ “O horror!’ groaned the colonel, and the captain heard him fall upon his knees. ‘ For God’s sake don’t, don’t!” and his teeth chattered audibly. ‘ But if I spare you,” said Tash, “‘ if I lay aside this great butcher’s knife that I have just now got in my hand — ’’ “My God! my God!’”’ moaned the wretched colonel, who felt that his hair was standing on end, while from head to foot the cold perspiration broke out all over him. “And devilish sharp it is, too,’? added Tash, inwardly chuckling at this cruel revenge he was inflicting upon his enemy. “No, no, you will not, you cannot perpetrate this atrocity. ) EORNICIOO ‘S (C(O)