The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXX FLORINA We must now return to Lady ¥lorina Staunton, whom we left at the moment when, scarcely able to subdue a violent © outburst of her anguish, she sought the window recess with the seeming pretext of beholding the departure of Lady Saxondale’s splendid equipage, but in reality for the purpose of hiding her tears. Lady Macdonald, not for an instant sus- pecting that every syllable Lady Saxondale had uttered was a dagger plunged deep down into the heart of her niece, began commenting in the bitterest manner upon the pre- sumed insolence of William Deveril, and thus each word spoken by the aunt produced a fresh pang in the bosom of the gentle Florina. Still, however, did the unhappy young lady remain in the room, for she was afraid that by a too precipitate retreat she would excite Lady Macdonald’s suspicion. It was an excruciation well-nigh intolerable which Florina thus suffered, or, rather, a series of -excrucia- tions more poignant than any that had ever previously entered into her young heart’s experience. Presently, after having delivered herself of an immensely long tirade of invectives against the young artist, Lady Macdonald rang the bell furiously, and when a footman answered the summons, she said, ‘‘ When Mr. Deveril calls at the house again, you will tell him that his services can be dispensed with for the future, and that if he will send in his account a cheque shall be remitted for the sum.” “Yes, my lady,” was the footman’s reply, and he quitted the room. Florina felt as if her heart must burst. She could endure this state of inward torture no longer, and quitting the draw- ing-room, she hastened up to her own chamber, where she 356 Gomichbooks (E(0)