Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 4

, and as much to uphold her in the cleansing step she was about to take, as in the desire to have the dear lost head upon her bosom, she disregarded Dahlia's foolish prayer, and found it was well that

th a pitiful fleshly terror from the noble husband

ely, though she had conjured up vague pictures of Dahlia's face. She had imagined agony, tears, despair, but not the spectral change, the burnt-out look. It was a face like a crystal lamp in which the flame has died. The ghastly little skull-cap showed forth its wanness rigidly. Rhoda wondered to hear her talk simply of home and the old life. At each question, the then and the now struck her spirit with a lightning flash of opposing scenes. But the talk deepened. Dahlia's martyrdom was near, and their tongues were hurried into plain converse of

unhappy, who do not wish to liv

the hope that she might thereby show herself to her father, she had consented to devote her life to the only creature who was then near her to be kind to her. Rhoda made her relate how this man had seen her first, and how, by untiring diligence, he had fo

osed any real vehemence of distaste to the union on Dahlia's part. But Dahlia's blood was frozen, her brain was under lead. She clung to the poor delight in her sister's praise, and shuddered and thirsted. She caught at the minutes, and saw them slip from her. All the health of her thoughts went to establish a sort of blind belief that God; having punished her enough, would not permit a second great misery to befall her. She expected a sudden intervention, even though at the

words on either side, attention paid to them by neither. But the girl doated on his ugliness; she took it for plain proof of h

rrible swiftness to the hours. Half shrieking, she dropped her head in Rhoda's lap. Rhoda, thinking that with this demonstration she renounced the projec

her brows, "I am still s

ve you," said Rhoda

lips. "Is father very

ed for answer, and Dahlia's fr

g from the beamless candle to the window-blinds "Oh! it's

lodgings. We

go?-he

nd will lea

sh you had known what this

good and precious thing

affection, dear! Oh I ho

, that I seem unkind

must do thi

, when you were ill, did you not write

hamed," s

be ashamed any

er-tips, and looked out on the day. As if it had smitt

ust I do it? The doctor says I am so strong that nothing will break in me, and that I must live, if I am not ki

no home now,

he blew the candle out. "See. No one will do that for me. We are not to live for ourselves. I have done wrong, and I am going to be humble; yes, I am. I never was when I

h me for a few hours,

ant, inexplicable daylight, and looked, and then her head bent like the first thrust forward o

is t