The Adventures of Harry Richmond, v5

ay swung me on my heel, and I saw her standing with a silver lamp raised in her right hand to the level of her head, as if she expected to meet obscurity. A thin

the door, saying, 'You have come';

n the length of the room; 'Y

N

ere sp

f, then,

nd repeated th

was the hour for Anna and Urs

loved, a small m

co-sentinel challe

ght,'

ot definite in your dire

to name

hy

see, I am inventing a reason; I really cannot tell why, if it was not that I hoped to have just those few

a

u come

elongs to every

your judgement

'it is your right to bid m

. She caught her breath; and

that this was the only moment I had, and would be the last interview: my

one end of the c

ven, then,' cried I

ead. 'That is n

that a word or two drawn from the neighbourhood of the heart would fetch a warmer current to unlock the ice between us, but feeling the coldness I complained of to be probably a suspicion, I f

dy frankly to release her with one squeeze of hands and take all

ngs cannot be undone

not cold, though her gloved hand resting its finger-ends on the table, her restrained at

was the first with it; my 'Ottilia !' brought soon after 'Ha

told me you wish me

hav

ll be f

e divided; we have that knowle

g. One would like possibly, after expulsion out of Eden, to climb the gates to see how th

h of your character I divined early. It was part of my reason for wishing you to work. You will find th

etained you al

fender. Since I hav

not your ac

iberate on them. I have the habit of thinking that my deliberations ar

ve come but for my acknowledgeme

ouring me with your attachment,

d

t ne

is grievously in

known it a

e been learning the world's wisdom recently. Would you have had me neglect it? Surely much i

s, if you ar

think t

r high nature burst

gonism with them. Yes, and I have been learning some worldly wisdom; I wish for your sake it had not been so late. What made me overleap the proper

tilia checked me. 'I, too, know him better, and still, if he is dragged do

colour was transfu

minutes. I have a mind

me

t gl

e and gave me, not th

this I ca

llegiance when he forgets his on my behalf, my friend! You are young. None but an inexperienced girl hoodwinked by her tricks of intuition, would have dreamed you superior to the passions of other men. I was blind; I am regretful-take my word as you do my hand- for no one's sake but my father's. You and I are bound fast; only, help me that the blow may be lighter for him; if I descend from the place I was born to, let me tell him it is to occupy one I am fitted for, or should not at least feel my Family's deep blush in filli

in speech threw a glow over her face, like

my lips to

of the fatal yellow vol

into my eye

speaking bef

, that I accused and reproved the

I wish we

she said, divini

y n

st

hat do

fox, would be the truer comparison, but the bird was noble, not one that cowered. Her beauty and courage lift

. Consider-if you had just plighted

ours; my word to

, from everything-nothing can touch, nothing move her, she is mine! I mean, an attested word, a form, that is-a betrothal. For me to say-my beloved and my betrothed! You hear that? Beloved! is a lonely word:- betrothed! carries us joined up to death. Would you?-I do but ask to kn

ring-'wait'-for a cry of joy escaped me-'I will look

she swam

er of supreme love swept out circumstance. Such embraces cast the soul beyond happiness, into no known region of sadness, but we drew apart sadly, even as that involved pair of bleeding recollections looked on the life lost to them. I knew well w

a witness, thoug

d come. Her voi

all pledges. To be clear in my own sight as well as in hers, I made mention of the half-formed conspiracy to obtain her plighted troth in a binding ma

esitated and asked if my father wa

g me. He is your father, dearest: fetch him to me. My father will hear of this from my lips-why not he? Ah! did I suspect you ever so little? I will atone for it; not atone, I will make it my pleasure; it is my pride that has hurt you both. O my lover! my lover! Dear head, dear eyes! Delicate and noble that you are! my own stronge

cried out, 'No, no

sketry before we perceived the enemy. 'Princess Ottilia! you rememb

her hand on the bell-rope. In a minute we had an alarm sounding, my father was among us, there was a ma