Evans_Infelice.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
answered her mother, coldly.
" is much sweeter from her lips, and you, my dear madam, are very
cruel to deny me the pleasure of hearing it. , my darling, go
away a little while, not far, where can easily find you, and let me
talk to your mother. fail to satisfy her fully on all points,
shall never ask at her hands the precious boon came here solely to
solicit."
took her hand, drew her from the arms that reluctantly relaxed,
and when they reached the threshold smiled down into her eyes.
her fingers, he kissed them lightly, and closed the door.
ailed the birds that trilled their passionate strains so
joyously as she ran down the garden walk, and into the rose-arbour?
clouds and shadows flown for ever from the world, leaving only
heavenly sunshine and . ?
" wonder if there be indeed a quiet spot on earth where can hide;
a sacred refuge, where neither nightingale nor human lovers will vex
my soul, or again disturb my peace with their eternal madrigals?"
had not seen her uncle, who was sitting in one corner, clumsily
tying up some roses which he intended for a birthday offering to his
niece.
the sound of his quiet voice, started up.
", ! did not see you. excuse me. will not
disturb you."
was hurrying away, but he caught her dress.
" dear, are you threatened with ophthalmia, that you cannot see a
man three yards distant, who measures six feet two inches?
excuse you. man who is kept awake all night by one set of love
ditties, dragged out of his bed before sunrise, and after taking
exercise and a bath that render him as hungry as a cut off from
his lava-beds, is expected and forced to hold his famished frame in
peace, while a pair of human lovers exhaust the vocabulary of cooing
that man can patiently excuse much. down, my dear girl.
my beard is grey, and crow-feet gather about my eyes, do you suppose
the old man's heart cannot sympathize with the happiness that throbs
in yours, and that renews very sacredly the one sweet love-dream of
his own long-buried youth? know, dear; you need not try to tell me,
need not blush so painfully. . reached last evening;
knew he was coming, and saw him early this morning. can guess it
all, and am very glad. bless you, dear child. be sure you
tell that we allow no lovers in our ideal home."
put his hand on her drooping head, and drawing it down, she
silently pressed it in her own. they sat; how long, neither knew.
dreaming of that golden future that had opened so unexpectedly
before her; he listening to memory's echoes of a beloved tone long
since hushed in the grave.
approaching voices were heard, he rose to steal away and tears
moistened his mild brown eyes.
" with me, please," she whispered, clinging to his sleeve.
the arched doorway of the arbour, she saw two walking slowly.
. leaned upon . 's arm, and as he bent his
uncovered, head, in earnest conversation, his noble brow was placid
and his haughty mouth relaxed in a half-smile. reached the
arbour, and paused.
her morning robe of delicate lilac tint, . 's sad
tear-stained face seemed in its glory of golden locks, almost as
fair as her child's. one was just preparing to launch her frail
argosy of loving hopes upon the sunny sea that stretched in liquid
splendour before her dazzled eyes; the other had seen the wreck of
all her heart's most precious freight, in the storm of varied griefs,
that none but could hush with divine " still."
repressed sorrow in the countenance of the mother was more
touching than any outbreak could have been, and after a strong
effort, she held out her hand, and said:
" daughter."
sprang up, and hid her face on her mother's neck.
" began to hope in a blind dumb way that nothing more could
happen to wring my heart, because had my daughter safe, owned her
entire undivided love, and we were all in all to each other; just
when dared to pray that my sky might be blue for a little while,
because my baby's eyes mirrored it, even then the last, the dearest
is stolen away, and by my best friend too! of my love, would
almost as soon see you in your shroud as under a bridal veil, for you
will love your husband best, and oh! want all of your dear heart
for my own. can ever give you away, my one star-eyed angel of
comfort!"
white hand caressed the head upon her bosom, and clasping her
mother's waist, the girl said distinctly:
" it be as you wish. mother's happiness is far dearer to me
than my own."
", my darling! you mean it? you give up your lover, for
the sake of your poor desolate mother?"
bent back the fair face and gazed eagerly into the girl's eyes.
", should never cease to love him. would not be so sweet
as it looked this morning, when first learned he had given me his
heart; but duty is better than joy, and owe more to my suffering
mother than to him, or to myself. it adds to the cup of your many
sorrows to give me even to him, will try to take the bitter for my
portion, and then sweeten as best may the life that hitherto you
have devoted to me. , do with your child as seems best to your
dear heart."
was very white, but her face was firm, and the fidelity of her
purpose was printed in her sad eyes.
" bless my sweet, faithful, trusting child!"
. could not restrain her tears, and . shaded his
eyes with his hand.
" little girl, make your choice. between us."
moved a few steps, as if to free herself, but in rain; 's
arms tightened around her.
" you? no, cannot. are too dear."
" whom does your heart cling most closely?"
", ask me no more. is my hand. you can consent to give
it to him. shall be--oh, how happy! it would grieve you too
much, then, mother, hold it, keep it. will never murmur or
complain, for now, knowing that he loves me, can bear almost
anything."
were streaming down the mother's cheeks, and pressing her lips
to the white mournful face of her daughter she beckoned . to
her side. a moment she hesitated, held up the fair fingers and
kissed them, then as if distrusting herself, quickly laid the little
hand in his.
" my darling; and remember that she is the most precious gift a
miserable mother ever yielded up."
a moment . whispered something, and very won the
lovely face flushed a brilliant rose, the soft tender eyes were
lifted timidly to . 's face, and as he drew her to aim, she
glided from her mother's arms into his, feeling his lips rest like a
blessing from on her pure brow.
" my love me best?"
the white arms answered his whisper, clasping his neck; and .
and . left them, with the dewy roses overhead
swinging like censers in the glorious autumn morning and the sacred
chimes of church bells dying in silvery echoes, among the olive and
myrtle that clothed the distant hills.
.
consenting to bestow 's hand on . , . had
stipulated that the marriage should be deferred for one year,
alleging that her daughter was yet very young, and having been so
long separated she wished her to remain with her at least for some
months. . reluctantly assented to conditions which compelled
him to return to without , and in .
removed to , where she desired that her child's fine
voice and musical talent should be trained and developed by the most
superior instruction.
the twelve months sped away, and in revisiting the
shores, linked by so many painful reminiscences with
the period of her former sojourn, . , despite the efforts
of her faithful and fond companion, seemed to sink into a confirmed
melancholy.
tacit agreement no reference was ever made to her past life, but a
shadow chill and unlifting brooded over her, and the sleeplessness
that no opiate could conquer--a sleeplessness born of heart-ache
which no spell could narcotize--robbed her cheek of its bloom, and
left weary lines on her patient, hopeless face.
. had returned with . to the , and
late in the following autumn . and sailed for
.
associations of the voyage were peculiarly painful to the unhappy
wife, whose lips never unclosed upon the topic that engrossed her
thoughts, and soon after their arrival her physician advised a trip
to or , until the rigour of the winter ha in
accordance with his advice, returned to .
the day previous he had arrived, and now came to test the power
of memory over his wife's heart.
", she is sitting alone on the verandah, with such a world of
sadness in her eyes, which have lost the blessed power of weeping.
to her. believe you need no ally to reach my mother's heart."
. kissed her fair forehead, and walked away; and passing
his arm around , . drew her forward across the lawn
till they reached a branching lilac near the verandah.
he paused, took off his glasses, and looked proudly and
tenderly down into the violet eyes that even now met his so shyly.
" , to-morrow at this hour you will be my wife."
haughty lips were smiling as they sought hers, and with her
lovely flushed face half hidden on his shoulder, and one small hand
clinging to his, she watched her father's figure approaching the
steps.
. sat with her folded hands resting on the rail of the
balustrade, her head slightly drooped upon her bosom; and the
beautiful face was lighted by the dying sunset splendour, that
seemed to kindle a nimbus around the golden head, and rendered her
in her violet drapery like some haloed _ _, treading
alone the _ _.
shadows under the melancholy brown eyes made them appear
darker, deeper, almost prophetic, and over her lips drifted a
fragment from ""
" that word !
have been nights and morns, when we have sighed,
' us alone ! are content
throw thee all our past, so thou wilt sleep
aye.' it is patient, and it wakes;
hath not learned to cry itself to sleep,
plaineth on the bed that it is bard."...
". the room of revenge reigns regret. is my revenge?
gleamed like nectar, and when drained it consuming poison clung to
my lips. revenge is to regret--for ever! -day how utterly
widowed; to-morrow--childless. , stranded life! !
!"
the stone steps stood the man whom her eyes, turned toward the
distant hill-tops, had not yet seen, but when the passionate pathos
of that voice which had so often charmed and swayed its audiences
died away in a sob, a musical yet very tremulous tone fell on the
evening air:
",--my wife! almost twenty years of neglect, injustice,
and wrong, can the husband of your youth, and the father of your
child, hope for pardon?"
" is no ruined life beyond the smile of heaven,
compensating grace for every loss is given,
's shell is loved of flower and vine,
through its shattered rents the peaceful planets shine."