Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

338 REYNOLDS’ WORKS paramour. She said that she would marry, she would con- tract a brilliant alliance, — one that would give her riches; and that though she would take a husband’s name, yet that my image alone should rule in her heart. I scorned her proposition, I repudiated it with loathing and _ horror. I fled from her presence. Cruelly excited, I wandered out of the town, along the bank of the river, not knowing nor caring whither I went.”’ ‘And it was under such circumstances as these that I met you?” observed Mr. Hawkshaw, deeply sympathizing with Frank’s affliction. ‘‘ Ah, my poor young friend! you had indeed enough upon your mind at the moment, and yet you could so generously bestow your ministrations upon me! You will forgive me for having made certain offers — ” “ Forgive you, Mr. Hawkshaw,” ejaculated the youth, “how can you address me in these terms? Shall I ever for- get your generosity? You fancied me poor, you offered to give me a start in life, — it was most -kind, most noble. For the present there are circumstances which induce my father to preserve an incognito before the world, — he has a nephew to reclaim, — but rest assured that when the moment comes that there is no longer any need for pre- serving this mystery, I shall write to you from London, I shall tell you who he is, he himself will write to you, and he will thank you for your kindness toward his son. He bears one of the proudest names of the British aristocracy, and well assured am I that you, Mr. Hawkshaw, whenever you visit the metropolis, will be a welcome guest at his house.” *““T shall be delighted, Mr. Paton,” returned the squire, ‘“‘ to renew in London at some future period the acquaintance that has commenced thus singularly between us in Lincoln- shire. And perhaps I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again before long, for, as I just now hinted, I am about to change my bachelor condition for the marriage state, and after the nuptial ceremony I shall repair with my bride to London. Ah, my young friend, how different is she whom I shall soon lead to the altar from the heartless creature of - whom you have been speaking! The object of my affection is all amiability, virtue, and excellence. She has been reared by an affectionate mother,—a woman of strong mind, and who knew how to perform her duty to her children. The object of your love is handsome, you say; so is the object (0) Gomichbooks