Part 18 (1/2)

CHAPTER XV

After the performance of the last melancholy duties, this afflicted family prepared to separate I received from them, individually, friendly offers of service, and expressions of acknowledgment, for my tender attentions to their deceased parent I declined, for the present, their invitations, and profferred kindness, though uncertain how to dispose of ustus behaved towards me with distant, cold, respect I observed in his features, under a constrained appearance of co emotion I recalled to my mind the injunctions of my deceased friend--I yearned to pour into his boso on severity, he repressed the expression of those ingenuous feelings which formed ht Unfortunate love had, in my subdued and softened mind, laid the foundation of a fervent and durable friendshi+p--But my love, my friendshi+p, were equally contemned! I relinquished my efforts--I shut ed my sorrows

The house of my deceased friend was sold, and the effects disposed of

On the day previous to their removal, and the departure of the family for London, I stole into the library, at the close of the evening, to view, for _the last ti emotions A mysterious and sacred enchantment is spread over every circumstance, even every inanimate object, connected with the affections To those who are strangers to these delicate, yet powerful sympathies, this enuine, nor the less in nature I will not attee of philosophy would appear frigid, and on which I feel e of fanaticism Yet, affections like these are not so th perhaps badly exerted Rousseau was, right, when he asserted, that, 'Coreat passions ever break out in weak y of sentiazed from the s on the shrubbery, where I had so often wandered with , so many visionary, prospects Every spot, every tree, was associated with some past pleasure, so sun, struggling froh its dark bosoes, played on the hich I was standing, and gilding the opposite side of the wainscot, against which the picture of Augustus still hung, shed a soft and mellow lustre over the features I turned al and deep regard It seenly--it wore no traces of the cold austerity, the gloomy and inflexible reserve, which now clouded the aspect of the original I called toconversations--when

'Tuned to happy unison of soul, a fairer world of which the vulgar never had a gliht, the criradually faded, while the deep shades of the evening, thickened by the appearance of a gathering tempest, involved in obscurity the object on which, without distinctly perceiving it, I still continued to gaze

I was roused fro of the door Souishi+ng, walked across the roo several turns backwards and forwards, reclined on the sopha, re for some time perfectly still A tremor shook my nerves--unable either to speak, or to --th, a deep, convulsive sigh, forced its way

'My God!' exclaimed the person, whose meditations I had interrupted, 'what is that?'

It was the voice of Mr Harley, he spoke in a stern tone, though with soree of trepidation, and advanced hastily towards theagainst which I leaned

The clouds had for soustus had reached the place where I stood, a flash of lightning, pale, yet vivid, glanced suddenly across ht, and discovered to him the object which had alarand almost lifeless hand, 'how came you here, which way did you enter?'

I answered not--Another flash of lightning, still brighter, blue and sulphurous, illu peal of thunder Again the heavens seemed to rend asunder and discover a sheet of livid flame--a crash of thunder, sudden, loud, short, i the teustus led me from the , and endeavoured, in vain, to find the door of the library--the temporary flashes, and total darkness by which they were succeeded, dazzled and confounded the sight

I stumbled over some furniture, which stood in the middle of the rooer to sustainhim to lift me to the sopha

He seated himself besidewith a horrible noise, discovered an abyss of fire, while the rain descended in a deluge We silently conteustus supportedhand remained in his The te beca at intervals--the thunder rolled off to a distance--its protracted sound, lengthened by the echoes, faintly died ahile the rain continued to fall in a still, though copious, shower

My spirits grew calently withdrew my hand froreater reserve, how I had entered the rooe? I explained, briefly and frankly, my situation, and the tender motives by which I had been influenced

'It was not possible,' added I, 'to take leave of this house _for ever_, without recalling a variety of affecting and melancholy ideas--I feel, that I have lost _my only friend_'

'This world,' said he, 'may not unaptly be compared to the rapids on the American rivers--We are hurried, in a frail bark, down the stream--It is in vain to resist its course--happy are those whose voyage is ended!'

'My friend,' replied I in a faultering voice, 'I could teach h, God knows, the lesson has been sufficiently severe--but I know not hoith fortitude, to see you suffer'

'Suffering is the common lot of humanity--but, pardon me, when I say, your conduct has not tended to lessen my vexations!'

'My errors have been the errors of _affection_--Do they deserve this rigor?'

'Their source is not important, their consequences have been the same--you make not the allowances you claim'

'Dear, and severe, friend!--Be not unjust--the confidence which I sought, and merited, would have been obviated'--

'I knohat you would alledge--that confidence, you had reason to judge, was of a painful nature--it ought not to have been extorted'