The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

THE SISTERS do9 and send you an account of all that had occurred, the pen dropped from my hands. Yes, vainly did I commence letter after letter; each fresh attempt only rendered my heart’s wounds more painful; it was like pouring molten lead upon the seared and lacerated flesh. Pardon me, therefore, dear sister, for having thus preserved a silence which may seem unkind, nay, even improper — ” ‘Enough, enough, dearest Louisa,’ exclaimed Clara, throwing her arms around her young sister’s neck and drawing down that innocent head until it reposed upon her bosom; ‘from your lips I need no apology, no excuse, especially as I am well acquainted with much that has occurred. And to keep you no longer in suspense, let me assure you that Jocelyn is innocent.” “ TInnocent!’’ echoed Louisa, her own sweet lips thus repeating in ecstatic joy an assurance which other sweet lips had just breathed in tenderness; “ innocent!’ she repeated, raising her head suddenly from her sister’s bosom, her looks beaming and glittering with mingled joy, hope, and suspense. ‘“‘ Oh, if this were true, if this were true! ”’ and she clasped her hands with a gesture expressive of in- effable emotions. ‘““ It 1s as I assure you, my beloved sister,’’ rejoined Clara Stanley. ‘‘ I would not deceive you for a moment in such a case; no, not for worlds would I deceive you where your heart’s best and purest affections are engaged.”’ ‘“ Oh, this is happiness, this is happiness indeed!’ mur- mured Louisa; and flinging herself into her sister’s arms, she wept tears of love and gratitude and ‘joy upon her bosom. ‘Dear Louisa, this is the sweetest moment that I have experienced for months past,’?’ murmured Clara, in a voice that was tremulous and low. And then she also wept; but we cannot say whether the tears that now streamed down her cheeks welled forth from feelings as unalloyed with pain and as unmixed with self- reproach as those which her sister experienced, — that fair, bright, and innocent sister whose tears were moistening Clara’s heaving breast with their crystal purity. “ And are you sure, very sure of all this, dearest Clara? ”’ inquired Louisa, again raising her head and bending upon her sister a countenance beaming with smiles of innocence 10)0)) a cS (CO) COM