Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 395: what you’re looking at

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

378 REYNOLDS’ WORKS to obtain an interview with you, and for your own sake you ought not to incur the risk of being drawn within the magic circle of her charms. Therefore, my young friend, let me entreat you to take a bold and decisive step, which shall at once put that woman to confusion.”’ “ What would you advise, sir?’ asked Frank. ‘“T would advise that you write a letter, telling her that you have penetrated her character, that you look with loathing and abhorrence upon the woman who could make up her mind to become the wife of an honourable man, merely for the purpose of deceiving him, and using the sanctity of the marriage state as a cloak for a guilty connec- tion with a paramour. This would I do, my dear Frank, and in the name of your father I enjoin you to adopt the course which I recommend. There are writing materials; pen the letter at once, and entrust it to me for delivery.” Frank started, and gazed upon Mr. Denison with a kind of vacant bewilderment. Was he aware, then, who the lady was that formed the subject of conversation? Had he seen or heard anything on the previous evening to make him suspect the actual truth? Or did he mean to inquire pres- ently the name and address of this lady? ‘““ My young friend,” said Mr. Denison, looking grave and serious, “‘ 1 know more than you have imagined, or perhaps not more than you at this moment suspect. The female who has degraded the sex to which she belongs, who beneath a brilliant exterior nourishes the most detestable passions, and whose beauty serves but as a disguise for her vices, that foul creature is Lady Saxondale’s daughter, Juliana Fare- field.”’ Frank made no immediate observation. He did not choose to deny an assertion which Mr. Denison had made with the positive manner of one who was neither speaking on conjec- ture nor at random, and yet, on the other hand, the youth was loath to admit that his secret had been rightly read. “No matter, my young friend,’’ continued Mr. Denison, ‘how I have made this discovery; you perceive that I am better informed than perhaps you at first imagined. But the topic is evidently too painful a one to be dwelt upon at unnecessary length. Follow my advice, pen a letter in the sense I have suggested, and leave the rest to me.”’ The youth felt that Mr. Denison was speaking to him with Gomicbooks.co