The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

304 REYNOLDS’ WORKS "2 continued Lady Saxondale, dwelling with a fiendish delight upon her words, as she knew that every syllable fell like suecessive drops of molten lead upon the most sensitive fibres of Florina’s heart. ‘‘ The girls had gone out for an airing, and I was alone. Mr. Deveril was shown up, because I had a message to deliver from Juliana and Constance. It was merely, as you might suppose, to make arrangements for the days and the hours when they would take their lessonsin future. It struck me that there was something very peculiar in the young man’s look and manner, — a flushing of the cheeks, a trembling and a hesitation in the speech, an embarrassment and an awkwardness, as if he wanted to say something, but dared not. It naturally occurred to me that he had some favour to ask, — perhaps an advance of money, or something of the kind; and feeling really willing to oblige him, but little suspecting what was agitating in his mind, I said something to encourage him to proceed. Then he burst forth into the most impassioned declarations. I listened with astonishment, thinking that he had either gone mad or was reciting some rhapsody from a novel. But as his language grew more vehement and his meaning less and less mistakable, I rose indignantly from my seat. Then he threw himself upon his knees before me, vowing that his happiness — his very liie— was in my hands, and that if I did not have mercy upon him he should kill himself in despair.”’ ‘“T never heard of such a thing,’ exclaimed Lady Mac- donald. ‘‘ And to think that I should have allowed such an improper person to give lessons to Florina, and to be alone with her.” ‘But I had done the same in respect to my daughters, without ever thinking that the young man was capable of so much infatuation or arrogance, whichever it may be. And yet,’ continued Lady Saxondale, affecting to laugh gaily, “‘I really ought to consider myself highly compli- mented at being thus chosen as the object of his tenderness, when amongst his pupils there were younger and fairer ladies. Really, Flo,’ she added, now turning toward the soul-tortured maiden, ‘‘I am surprised that in his im- pudence and presumption he has never thrown himself at your feet.” Florina was indeed suffering a martyrdom which was all ) CONNIE NO KS