A Witch of the Hills, v. 1-2

heart smote me at the thought of deceiving him with the rest. 'The elephant,' it had been a joke between ourselves for me to call him; and like a great elephant he was, huge, intelligent,

might, he was a good old fellow, and I was fond of him.

dgar, is

ow do y

etter. I shall be g

ou have been patient so long, it would be a p

l right. Why, part of my cheek was completely blown away. It will be months, at least, before I dare show myself. I t

meantime

len-must know t

doesn't want to b

r, she must be released at once. I want you to write a letter from me

s step, which I knew to be distasteful to him, that I was quite sure, before the letter was half written, that he was 'up to' something. So, when it was finished, I was mean enough to insist on his leaving it with

etter

me one last kindness by not returning to me the little souvenirs that you have from time to time been good enough to accept from me. And please don't send me back my letters, if you have ever received them with any pleasure. Burn them if you like. I will send back yours if you wish; but, as no woman will ever look with love upon my face again, your womanly dignity will suffer but little if you let me still keep them. There are only eight of them. And there is a glove, of course, and a packet of dried flowers, of course, and the little silver match-box. All these I shall insist upon keeping, whether you like it or not. They could not compromise anyb

yttleto

with a longing more tender than before; I felt oppressed by the necessity of foregoing the shallow

t of the sprawling, slap-dash handwriting which it delighted Helen to assume, in common with the other young ladies of her generation, moved me; for I could not but feel that this was the la

ntellectual myself I do not care for a man who is intellectual and all those things. I am coming down to see you myself and then if you wish to give me up you can do so-but I hope you will not throw me over so hast

le

ed a simple but loyal nature that only wanted an emergency to bring its nobler qualities to t

said he eagerly. 'You see sh

tion; she would shrink with horror from the sight of me. It would be a

shocking the change in you may be, you can

hall

tigated by the falling off of the withered outer skin which had covered the r

he was endowed with a splendid insensibility to uglin

at him from out my ill-matched eye

complacently as if

is style of beauty,'

s that, but it's really mu

easily

ce gives one now is not, as you flatter yourself, of con

ha

ly virtuous and straightforward in your dealings, for no one would trust

n my paralysed contemplation of the change in my own features, that the drawing up of the right-hand corners of my mouth and eye, together with the removal of every vestige of hair from that side of

ections, I know, but you must permit your objections to be overruled. Accident can be combated by artif

to the adoption of a false eyebrow, a false moustache, and a beautiful tuft of cu

me to discard its substitutes, I was ready to believe that the discoloration and disfigurement still visible were comparatively unimportant, and that the repellent expression,

at I had not let myself be dissuaded from my intention of sneaking quietly away without showing my disfigured face to any one. What was the use of my seeing the child again? I did indeed long foolishly for a few last words with her since she had shown unexpected depth of feeling towards me in my misfortune; but it could not end, as Edgar still obstinately hoped, in a renewal of our engagement, which I persisted in regarding as definitely broken. The meeting was only for a farewell. I was ashamed of the artifices I had used to conceal the traces

p to me, dragging Helen, who seemed

well fast, you see. Where is

ategy, fancying he had only to leave us together for us to have a touching reconciliation.

may be sure. I am glad to see you, Lady Helen;

of going abroad to be ill among strangers,' said Edgar, cutting me short. 'He's ge

d held out her hand, which I timidly took. Then she lifted her eyes to my face for the first time. For the first and last time I saw the express

y glad--'

le I still held her little hand in mine, she fell li

h I had fled, like a wounded beast to its den, when little Helen's unwilling blow gave me my social death-warrant. I was a

ictated her lette

ot attempt

of herself,' said he, r

n my dull personality to compensate for the loss of the only merit I could have in a girl's

er wanted to

t make any more blunders on my account; you must l

st do as you like. I'll

you here, Edgar. I have very particular reason

y next day the Marquis telegraphed to his son to join him immediately in Monmouthshire; and no sooner had Edgar left the house, with the sure knowledge that he should not see me again, than I fulfilled his fears by instant preparation for my own departure. I had discarded all disguises, and contented myself by mask

sguise both of form and features, I knew myself to be quite safe from recognition anywhere, and having decided to start from Charin