Volume II Part 18 (1/2)
She lifted her beautiful soft hair Those cruel little notches were so that her face expressed, though I was too young, and far too ignorant, to iine of what kind and import
”I promise you, Maria, that if you attempt to write any ht of so far more clever: I will make off with the rest at once”
I had an idea of finding her sheets in her own roo Josephine, as nursing her doll, into a reether, was about to rush downstairs without returning to Maria, when she called uponFor, ”You dare not do it, Carl!” she cried; ”you will kill onized by her expression, which was not even girl-like, I halted for an instant at her open door
”Then, Maria, if I leave them here, on your honor, will you not touch them or attempt to write?”
”It is not your affair, Carl, and I ary,--very pale, with two crimson spots, and she bit her lip almost black
”It _is_ my affair, as you told _me_, and not your brother or Florimond He or Florimond would not allow it, you knoell as I do”
”They should and would And, pray, why is it I am not to write? I should say you were jealous, Carl, if you were not Carl But you have no right to forbid it, and shall not”
”I do not kno to express my fear, but I am afraid, and, Maria, I will not let it be done”
Lest I should commit myself, I closed the door, stuh the street, and deposited the sheets with the others in the box I am conscious these details are tedious and oppressive; but they cannot be withheld, because of what I shall have to touch upon
Fearful were the consequences that descended upon my devoted head I little expected them, and suffered from them absurdly, child as I was, andday week, and looking quite herself, except for those violet shades yet lingering,--still not herself to me in any sense She scarcely looked at ed to meet her
Anastase alone seemed conscious that she had been ill He appeared unable to rid hi my lesson, when his custo note, he asked me what had been the matter with her I told him I believed a very awful headache, with fever, and that I considered she had been very ill indeed I saw his face cloud, though he made reply all coolness, ”You are mistaken, Auchester It was a cold, which always produces fever, and often pain” Thus ere all alike deluded; thus was that motherless one hurried to her Father's house!
Meantime, silent as I kept myself on the subject of the syed al for the season when I should emancipate myself from all my doubts
CHAPTER VIII
The season ca It was late in April,--exquisite weather, halcyon, bloo; my memory expands to it now From Italy he returned He caanize a procession, to marshal a welcome chorus; none knew of his arrival until he appeared
We had been ra homewards, laden ild-flowers and lily bunches Franz was a kind creature to ht hi the s,--nobody shouted in that spot except our own,--and we hurried ho very weary, sat down to rest on one of those seats that everywhere invite in shady places, while Dele, he announcedthe carriage up the hill” I am ashamed of what I did I could not return to Cecilia; I wandered about in the village, possessed by a vague aspiration that I should see hi
I caone I deserved it, and felt I did, for my cowardice; but at the end of supper the head of the central table, having waited until then, deliberately took from his deep pocket and presented me with a note, a very tiny note, that was none the fresher for having lain an hour or two a al It was short indeed, yet honey sweet
I ah I came on purpose Art not thou still my eldest child? Come to me, then, to-morrow, it will be thy Sunday, and thy room shall be ready; also two little friends of thine,--I and he Do not forget ement for my visit, and I never think of his kindness in these particulars without being reenius was it ever beneficently gentle
I spent such an afternoon as would have been cheaply purchased by a whole life of solitude; but I uished it
We alking upon the lovely terrace a flowers; he was gentle, genial, aniht myself to say: ”Sir, I have a very, most particular favor to ask of you; it is that you will condescend to give me your opinion of a piece of ht it with me on purpose,--may I fetch it? It is in my hat in the house”
”By all o in-doors together and examine it quietly It is thine own, of course?”