The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

242 REYNOLDS’ WORKS also to utter what language you choose to the poor ballet-girl, but she also has her privilege, — the only one she possesses, — which is, to reject your offers with scorn, as I do now.” And having thus spoken, Henrietta Leyden passed abruptly away, and gliding amidst the throng that filled the concert-room, she hastened to one of the dressing- chambers, where she remained alone with her own thoughts until the bell rang to summon her to that stage where her dance was to be feathery light though her heart was leaden heavy, and her countenance to be wreathed into smiles though inwardly her spirit was weeping the bitterest, bit- terest tears. Contrast for a moment the behaviour of Emily Archer and Henrietta Leyden. The former a star of the ballet, with a handsome salary that was in itself sufficient to provide her with luxuries as well as comforts, the latter an obscure novice in the corps, with a wretched pittance that did not allow her even the bare necessaries of life; the former plunging into dissipation and vice without an excuse, the latter avoiding temptation though with every excuse to succumb; the former selling her charms for superfluities, the latter preserving her virtue though in want of necessaries. Truly, Henrietta Leyden was an exception to the general rule. Yet, thank God! for the credit of humanity and the honour of the female sex, there are such exceptions; and it is the proudest moment of the author’s power when he can illustrate them, as it ought to be the happiest one in the reader’s recreation when he can contemplate them. Gomichbooks (E(0)