The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER VI THE JOURNEY At ten o’clock on the night fixed for Jocelyn’s departure the prefect visited him, and made a last effort to induce him to sign the bond. “You see,’ observed his Excellency, “‘ what a high opin- ion even your very enemies have of your honour and in- tegrity, since they are willing to permit you to go at large in the world the possessor of all their most important secrets, with no other guarantee than your simple written pledge that you will not reveal them.”’ “Yes,” said Jocelyn, bitterly, “they first attempted to destroy every sentiment of virtue and paralyze every impulse of honour within my breast, — for that this was the aim in subjecting me to the seductive wiles of the temptress Julia Owen I cannot doubt. But having had so signal a proof that I prefer the approval of my conscience to all the blandishments of transient pleasure, and that I cherish honour as if it were a worship, my enemies, as you justly style them, are now willing to trust themselves to that integrity and that sense of rectitude which they have vainly endeavoured to subvert. They know that my pledge would be my bond, and that my written promise would never be falsified. But that pledge and that promise they will not obtain from me.” These words were uttered in so firm a tone that the prefect of police offered no further remonstrance and attempted no more persuasion, but coldly bowing to our young hero, he quitted the room. A few minutes afterward the old nurse entered to take leave of Jocelyn; and she spoke her fare- wells with an air of so much sincerity that all remaining suspicions with regard to her were banished from his mind. 52 Gomicbooks (E(@)