The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 364: what you’re looking at

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

THE LADY’S - MAID O47 to procure such asum? Merely the bestowal of a name and title so utterly worthless to me that, a few minutes back, I had been hurrying forward to bury them along with myself in the deep waters of the Seine. Oh, you can scarcely think ill of me, Constance, when I confess that I found the offer too cheering, too magnificent, to be refused, and that instead of taking twenty-four hours or even twelve hours to reflect upon the point, I gave my assent at once. The Englishman then told me his own name and that of the young lady to whom I was to be married. Her surname was quite different from his own, and therefore I did not suppose her to be his daugh- ter. JI however asked him if such were the case, and he said she was not, but he enjoined me not to question him any further, as there was so deep a mystery attached to this young lady, and the necessity for maintaining it was so absolute he must decline furnishing me with any clue for its unravelment. He then placed a purse of money in my hand and bade me meet him at the same place on the following day at eleven o’clock. We separated, and I was no longer houseless nor penniless, but throughout the night I could scarcely close my eyes in slumber. The proposition to which I had assented was so extraordinary that again and again did I hesitate whether to proceed any further in the matter, but the grim, gaunt spectre of poverty constantly rose up betore my eyes and made all my scruples vanish. “Morning came, and with some portion of the money contained in the purse, I made such improvements in my toilet as were suitable for the ceremony about to take place. Punctual to the hour was I at the wine-shop; the Englishman had already arrived and was waiting for me. He doubtless saw by my looks that I had not changed my mind, and he did not therefore ask me the question. A hackney-coach was summoned, and he ordered it to take us to a hotel which he named, in another part of Paris. On arriving there, he introduced me to a suite of apartments, in one of which he requested me to be seated for a few minutes. He then passed into an inner room, and shortly reappeared, accom- panied by three ladies. One was nearly as old as himself, and whom he introduced as his wife. Another was much younger, and was intended to act as bridesmaid. I believe she was some relation of his, but I do not exactly know of what degree. The third was the young lady on whom I was CONNIE DOOKS (FO)