The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

ANOTHER PHASE OF DEPRAVITY 83 gem that my soul covets. But refuse me, Jocelyn, refuse me,”’ she said, the exaltation of her voice and manner sud- denly sinking into lowness and gloom, “ refuse me, I say, and the waters of the Seine are deep — ”’ ‘Heavens! what madness is this?’ cried Loftus, his perplexity now rising into the cruellest alarm. ‘I have listened to you too long, Miss Owen, and you have said too much.” “Farewell, then, farewell for ever!’’ she suddenly ex- claimed; and springing from the seat, she sped along the avenue with the fleetness of the hunted deer, toward the bank of the river Seine which flowed hard by. “Good God! she is serious — it is no artifice!” thought Jocelyn; and, wild with terror, he bounded after her, over- taking her near the end of the avenue. She sank exhausted in his arms; and as he bore her to one of the numerous benches scattered about, he saw that her eyes were closing as if she were going to faint, although the deep hues of overwrought excitement remained upon her cheeks. | Placing himself upon the seat, which was a mere common bench without any back to lean against, he was compelled to support her in his arms; and once more did he look up and down the avenue, in the fear of being observed. But no person was approaching, nor even visible from that spot; and, somewhat relieved by this circumstance, he again bent his looks upon the countenance of the young lady. ‘Ah! it were sweet to die thus,’’ she murmured, softly, as she opened her eyes and gazed up into his counte- nance with ineffable tenderness. ‘‘ But wherefore did you pursue me, why did you hold me back, when in another minute there would have been an end to the woes, the an- guish, and the despair which you have implanted in my bosom? ”’ ‘Let us not renew the conversation now, Miss Owen,”’ said Jocelyn, gently raising her recumbent form. ‘ You have afflicted me sadly, you have terrified me profoundly, and I must insist that we return at once to the hotel.”’ “ You will subject me, then, to the matchless humiliation of having besought an hour of your love, and experiencing a refusal?” murmured Emma, bending down her hazel eyes, upon the lashes of which the teardrops trembled, while the GoMmiGcyaoo () <S (CO)