The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

— 36 THE COURT OF LONDON or murder. To me it is a matter of indifference; for I have resolved to escape either from his persecution or else from life.”’ ‘Oh, you distress me beyond all measure, my worshipped, my adored, my well-beloved Eleanor! ’’ exclaimed the un- happy earl, sinking down upon his knees at her feet, and moistening her hands with his tears as he pressed them with frenzied violence to his lips. ‘“‘ For God’s sake, my darling Eleanor, reconsider this dreadful affair! Remember, that if you decide upon ridding your path of that enemy, no subsequent remorse can recall the deed, no after-compunction undo the act. Besides, my love — my angel — my afflicted one, it must not be you who will do this, but I — your hus- band; and will you make me a murderer? ”’ “No, not for worlds, Francis,’ exclaimed the wretched lady, compelling him to rise from his suppliant posture and then throwing herself into his arms. ‘Oh, you will reconsider the matter, my beloved?” he cried, straining her to his breast and covering her counte- nance with kisses and with tears. ‘‘ Alas! there is nothing to reconsider, my mind is made up,” she said, gently disengaging herself from her husband’s embrace. ‘ But I will not permit you to perpetrate a crime, Francis, you who never committed a foul deed in all your life.”’ “Yes, when I led you as a victim to the altar,” said the earl, in a low deep tone of indescribable self-reproach. “Ah! we will not talk of that now, my husband,” ex- claimed the countess. ‘‘ You must consent to yield to those imperious circumstances which have environed me as with a wall of adamant, — circumstances which are rapidly closing in around me, and which will crush me to death unless I clear myself a means of egress by one desperate and de- cisive blow. Listen to what Ramsey stipulates, or rather, what he commands. He tells me that to-night at nine o’clock I am to meet him in the open field behind the shrubbery, that I am to bring with me the sum of five thousand pounds in notes, gold, or other moneys equally available, that I must proceed alone to the place of appointment, and that if I refuse to yield to these conditions, he will publish the history of his amour with me, — yes, publish everything, and thereby gain by the sale of so extraordinary a narrative Gomicdooks (E(O)