The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

A DEED OF VENGEANCE B00 for him to restrain his feelings altogether, earnestly though he struggled against them. ‘It must be so, James,” replied Melmoth. ‘‘ You would not have me spare the prince? ”’ ‘No, ten thousand times no!’’ exclaimed the lad, reso- lutely. ‘And you would not have me swing to the accursed gal- lows-tree? ”’? continued Melmoth. ‘‘ Heaven forbid! ”’ cried the boy, with accents and looks of horror. “ Then if I slay the prince,”’ rejoined Melmoth, “‘ you will comprehend that there is only one course for me to adopt.” ‘‘ Give me your hand for the last time, father,’’ said James, with deeper accents and darker looks; then, as he pressed it fervidly, he added, “‘ I already regard you as one who no more belongs to this world.’ For a few instants the father and son gazed upon each other in ineffable tenderness mingled with utter desperation; and then, as if afraid to trust themselves any longer to the melting influence of that mood, they loosened the grasp of their hands and averted their eyes with simultaneous abruptness. At the same moment a young woman, bearing a child in her arms, entered the park. She was a nursery-maid in the service of Mr. and Mrs. Thurston; and the infant, which was now five months old, was not the offspring of that couple, as Melmoth and his son supposed, but was the fruit of the Princess Sophia’s illicit amour with General Barth. The child was sleeping in the arms of the nurse, who began to stroll in a leisurely way across the park, not taking any heed of the man and the youth who followed her at a short distance. Presently she turned out of the gravel-path, and proceeded to a spot where a bench stood in the agreeable shade of some trees, and there she seated herself. Melmoth and his son gazed around, and perceiving that the coast was clear enough for their purpose, they at once walked up to the place where the female was resting. “ Young woman,” said Melmoth, in an abrupt tone and with determined manner, “ no harm is intended to yourself, but you must give me that child.” The servant-maid was struck speechless with consternation at these words; but she instinctively pressed the slumbering GOMIIGdOG Ss) (©)