Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 234: what you’re looking at

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

THE SPANIARD 217 I conjure you to reflect that the life of a fellow creature is in your hands.”’ “ My lord,” answered the lady, in a low, soft voice, — and in a voice that was tremulous, too, — ‘‘if I were to tell you that I am insensible to all hese See of so much love on your part, I should be something less or something more than woman. I pretend to be neither, and certainly I am not without a feeling of gratitude for this attachment which you have maintained toward me. But would you have me wed where my heart is not won? Count Christoval, I again repeat that this heart of mine cherishes a friendship for you, but knows not the feeling of love, or at least not now.” z ‘“ What is your decision, Elizabeth?’’ he asked. ‘“ You have not pronounced it. Assuredly you have given me no hope, but you have not consigned me to despair. Perhaps,”’ he added, with a look of mingled bitterness and apprehension, ‘vou regard me as a bandit, and you shrink at the idea of joining your hand to mine? ”’ “No, no,’ exclaimed Miss Paton, a convulsing tremor passing vividly through her entire form, for she felt visibly and keenly at the moment that upon this ground they were at least on an equal footing. ‘‘ You wrong me — or, rather, you do not understand me — no, you cannot. There, take my hand in friendship. It is a proof that I do not shrink from you, that I have no right to do so, but it is not given in love, because I will neither deceive myself nor you by simulating a sentiment which I do not truly and faithfully experience.”’ There was something wild and full of impetuous emotions in her voice and manner,—something strange and im- passioned in her whole aspect, as she thus proffered her hand to the Spanish nobleman. He pressed it to his lips; again and again he covered it with kisses, and it was not with- drawn, because Elizabeth had fallen into a mood of deep abstraction, and knew not rightly that this fair hand of hers was so completely abandoned to him. But suddenly feeling the fervid warmth of those kisses, she withdrew it with an abruptness that both startled and hurt Count Christoval. Yes, his feelings were hurt, his heart was wounded, and he gazed upon her in mingled surprise and reproachfulness. He gazed thus in surprise, because those vehement emotions EORVICLO@QC) cS (EO)