Page:Horrid Mysteries Volume 3.djvu/137

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THE HORRID MYSTERIES.
131

to the sweet girl, "let my dearest friend have a share in your affection." So saying, he pressed me to Caroline's bosom. Heaven was in his looks; he believed to have regained every thing while he could strain the dear object of his love and the friend of his heart to his heaving bosom.

"Yes, Marquis," Caroline began, "I should have preferred you to all the world, if I had not known the Count. Be my friend, as you have been that of my Lewis, and you always will find my heart open, kind, and affectionately disposed to you."

I was seized with stunning stupor, and incapable of returning an answer; I even could not evince my gratitude by a mute sign. I bent my weeping eyes upon the hand which she extended to me, and felt it burn more violently than my face. This was the only sensation of which I was conscious. My heart ceased almost to beat, and a chilling tremour thrilled my frame, but was soon succeeded by a con-vulsive