Evan Harrington -- Volume 7

commanded and managed every one surrounding her since infancy, how humble had she now become!-how much more womanly in appearance, and more child-like at heart! S

the easiest filly that turbaned matron ever yet drove into the straight road of the world. It even surprised Lady Jocelyn to see how wonderfully she had been broken in by her grandmother. Her ladyship wrote to D

. She was only a suppliant to be spared from ridicule: spared

ced silly creature, with what gratitude she turned! He might well

lse why did she like his company so much? He was not mistaken in thinking she looked up to him. She seemed to beg to be taken into his noble serenity. In truth she sighed to feel as he d

humility touched him to eloquence. Say she was a little hypocrite, if you like, when the blood came to her cheeks under his eyes. Say she was a heartless minx for allowing it to be bruited that she and Ferdinand were betrothed. I can but tell you that her

rdinand, strolling with Rose down the garden made a positive appeal to her common sense and f

ans

ould h

ion of her hand. She let him keep it, thinking him nobl

letters were delivere

dark-winge

nflexible face. And then, talking on, long low sighs lifted her bosom at intervals. She gazed from time to

not ki

take the meaning this revelation involved. That which had been dead was beginning to move within her; but blindly: and now it stirred and trouble

rld's wisdom, parrot-like, and bursting into tears the next minut

c hand. Evan dispersed the gloomy shades like sunshine. Then in a sort of terror she rejoiced to think she was partially engaged to Ferdi

vously in her self-love. Am I such a coward, inconstant, cold? she asked. Confirmatory answers coming, flung her b

an was not chargeable with that baseness which had sundered them he mig

to see her led away by him. Twisting her joined hands: weeping for her cousi

e relighted the fire of her passion thus fervidly. To be outstripped in generosity was hateful to her. Rose, naturally, could not reflect that a young creature like h

e of her whole life in the horrid tomb of his embrace, and questions whether she could yield her hand to him- whether it was right in the eyes of heaven, rushed impetuous

'I will clear his character at Beckley. I will help him. I will be his friend. I will wipe out the injustice

cept shame. Oh! how sad it will be for him to find no w

rately cognizant, Rose brooded heavily. By mid-day she gave her

' said Lady Elburne. 'Beckley is bad quarters for you, as yo

o it,' Rose answered. 'I a

' said Lady Elburne; and Rose, thinking of a snakelike death-bite working through he

opportunities, albeit they were all stowed together in a carriage, and Ferdinand seemed willing to profit by them; but R

the funeral. In a few minutes she got her alone, and after kisses, looked penetra

echoed

w why he did that. Why

ther than the broad avowal. Evan's present condition she plainly stated: and Rose,

tand ice-bound till Evan had given her back her troth. How could she obtain it from him? How could she take anything from one so n

ho loves may be. The day of the funeral came and went. The Jocelyns were of their mother's opinion: that for many reasons Juliana was better out of the way. Mrs. Bonner's bequest had been a severe blow to Sir Franks. However, all was now well. The estate natural

se must not be permitted to have her own way in this. Knowing very well that Mrs. Shorne spoke through her husband's mouth, Lady Jocelyn still acquiesced, and Ros

y. The joys of a landed proprietor mounted into the head of Sir Franks. He was up early the next morning, and he and Harry walked over a good bit of the ground before breakfast. S

joy the look and smell of land. At the breakfast, which, though early, was well attended, Harry spoke of the adviseability of felling timber here, planting th

t you won't let us have turnips within the cir

delivered and opened wi

He was going to make a communication, but catching sight of Caroline, tossed the letter

?' says Harry,

-grapple; she matched the living heroic youth she felt him to be, with that dead wooden image of him which it thrust before her. Her heart stood up singing like a craven who sees the tide of victory setting toward him. But this passed beneath her eyelids. When her eyes were lifted, Ferdinand could have discovered nothing in them to complain of, had his suspicions been light to raise: nor could Mrs. Shorne perceive that there was the opening for a shrewd bodkin-thrust. Rose had got a mask at last: her colour, vo

risen and walke

Jocelyn, wheeling

legal hand, and looking as men do when their intelligences are just equal to the comprehension or expression of an oath, handed the letter to his wife, and observed

nd like a jo

answ

N

ied by her ready response, turned o

ley Court, to Mr. Evan Harrington, of Lymport, tailor. An abstract of the will was forwarded. The lawyer went on to say, that he had conformed to

clever outwitted exposed adventuress, at Elburne House and Beckley

own mouth once. She heard black names cast at him and the whole of the great Mel's brood, and incapable of quite disbelieving them merited, unable to challenge and rebut them, she dropped into her recent state of self