Sandra Belloni -- Volume 4

house where the servants have been better cared for." And this reflection continued to burn with an astounding brilliancy through all the revolutions of

ery in complaints, or to be common by holding debate on it. They had not once let their eyes meet at Besworth, as the Tinleys wonderingly noticed. They said good night to their papa, who was well enough to reply, adding peremptorily, "Downstairs at half-past eight,"-an intimation tha

"If we are poor, I am free;" and that she might then give herself to whomever she pleased, was her logical deduction. The exposure at Besworth, and the partial confirmation of her suspicions, were not without their secret comfort to her. In the carriage, coming home, Wilfrid had touched her hand by chance, and pressed it with good h

pretty head got t

eplied, affecting nobly to acknowledg

oing soon to be a married man. He could answer to that in a smiling negative, playing round the question, until she perceived that he really desired

r was Wilfrid's head scratched, than the operation stuck him as humiliating; in other words, the moment he felt his sisters fingers in the ticklish part, he flew to another theme, then returned, and so backward and forward-mystifying her not slightly, and making her thi

rid? It is unfair to her;

iages without love, and the supreme duty of espousing one who has our 'heart's loyalty,' he said, "You may be right. A man must not play with a

r her sex. Had she pushed forth the

you see this family, and from which they are to emerge considerably sh

ed the name) "-if Emilia were forced to give her

it, from the simple passion that the name inspired;

r tears are not the witnesses. When they do not weep, but the hot drops stream inwardly:-and, oh! Wilfrid, let this never happen to me. I shall not disgrace you, because I

cloaked, even as he wished it to be, could afford now to commiserate his sister, and he admired her at the same time. "I

lia whispered to him bashfully; and set him wondering why she sho

nd she thought it best to give him this positive assurance. "No," he rejoined, "a woman never should." There was no admission of equality to be got out of him, so she kissed him. Of their fathe

awing breath between each sentence and rubbing his forehead; but the work was done by a man in ordinary health, if you chose to t

ump- chop, my love?' my little man used to invite me of a mornin'

that he had once enjoyed chops. At a loss to account for the distressing change, he exclaimed

s. Chump cried out, "Oh! if ye're not like a postman, Pole;

g. He quitted the table, muttering, "Busi

m. It's just brothin' he wants. Broth, I say, for anny man that won't eat his chop or his egg. And, my dears, now, what do ye say to me for brin

agine how her bitter breath cut against those sensitive skins! During a short p

gravity of his manner, and motioning despairingly with her head, to relieve the swarm of unborn figure-less ideas suggested by his passing speech. The ladies were ranged like tribunal shapes. It could not be said of souls so afflicted that they felt pleasure in the scene; but to assist in the administration of a rigorous justice is sweet to them that

frid; while Mrs. Chump heaved and rolled on the swell of the big words like an overladen boat. "You have only to understand so much, and this-that if we resist it, as

secret of restoring him to health, and that he was re

" she burst out. "If I

Pole on the spot.

mother; but the main question is, will his children consent to let her take that place? We are of one mind, and will allow no one-no one-to assume that position. And now, there's an end. We'll ta

urage from the savour of cajolery in th

rs. Chump wantonly sought to prevent him. Each was burdened with serious matter; but

l confident…"

, Mr. Wilfrud; ye'

dent,

e firrst t

a'am, for

is on 's legs, poor fells; which marr

! I beg you

weeks and ye kissed little Belloni in the passag

ilfrid's breath, so that he was not ready fo

. "It's pos'tuv ye did. And ye're the best blusher of the two, my dear; and no shame to

r, saying imperiously,

rmuring, "It's sure he was seen kissin' of her twice, and

ice to their cause by absolutely hearing

rdity of the charge and the scene, and al

e I must desire you to quit this-you will see the

le's promus!" Mrs.

ce now that you will go, to be

nd in words,

r me,

ess, knowin' the nature of an oath. There naver

down by her side, he said: "I am sure

o' me. Ye could ask Chump, if he wasn't in his grave, poor fella! I'll be cryin' like a s

for my father I know, m

hat we certainly resist,

, whereby she was not stuck in the criminal box; but the knowledge groped about blindly, and finding herself there, Mrs. Chump lost all idea of a counter-ac

no misunderstanding." Wil

bit of a mouth she'

k her hand.

I'm modust,

n you must consent to leave us at the end of a week. You abandon any ide

d, Mrs. Chump was no

oke down, and wrung her

es! Oh, Lord! that I sho

w me a bride f

hat the ladies exchanged

her hand and diminish h

undone in a moment, and

s perceived b

! And you that go to keep me a lone woman, frightened of the darrk! I'm an awful coward, that's the truth. And ye know that marr'ge is a holy thing! and it's such a beaut'ful cer'mony! Oh, Mr. Wilfrud!-Lieuten't y' are! and I'd have bought ye a captain, and ma

e addressed her silent judges, in mysterious guttural t

nclination to huddle together, l

to 'm; and I was soft to 'm when he was a merry buck, and you cradle lumber in ideas, mind! for my vartue was always un'mpeach'ble. That's just the reason. So, come, and let's all be friends, with mone

husband. This was not to be excused; and, moreover, they entertained the sentimentalist's abhorrence of the second marriage of a woman; regarding the act as simply execrable; being treas

acable as the other, Mrs. Chump

ady s

d we request that you will consider us in that lig

hump. "Ye'll call me plain Martha, which is almost mother, a

er's words, which demand no e

turned her lap tow

And don't use great cartwheels o'

are very much attached to you as Mrs. Chump; but after a certain period of life, marriage does make people ridiculous, and, as much for your sake as our own, we would adv

garin' the same dose, miss! Be qu't! It's a traitor that makes what's nasty taste agr

Wilfrid gazed on them all indifferently, wa

fact that Pity did not

mp

ye'd like to be interduced to No. 2 yourselves, some fine mornin'? Prov'dence can wait. There's a patient hen on the eggs of all of ye! I wouldn't marr

e widows. It's a crool thing. And when ye've got no children of your own, and feel, all your inside risin' to another person's, and they hate ye- hate ye! Oh! Oh!-There, Mr. Wilfrud, ye needn't touch me elbow. Oh, dear! look at me in the glass! and my hair! Annybody'd swear I'd been drinkin'. I won't let Pole look at me. That'd cure 'm. And he must let me have money, because I don't care for 'cumulations. Not now, when there's no young-no garls and a precious boy, who'd say, when I'm gone, 'B

tion, concluded the speech. Casting a look at the glass, Mrs. C

his sisters: "I want one of you to come with

ned Cornelia. He

k to do," p

ent? You wil

dear,

t. Then there's nothing to

e room in a spirit of

well what was his business in town, but they felt that they were at his mercy, and dared not remonstra

eless how much he betrayed by his a

hat night, and were met

ood left his hands and feet. I have had to use a falsehood. I said, 'She left word that she was coming back to-night or

th fatigue, so

called, and wished to see yo

w herself as she threw back her head and gazed at stars and clouds.

er said,

where he looked like a

t thwart him. He has been anxious to know where you have gone. He-he thinks you have con

ntly, "He has s

Adela, in

at-that we-he is perh

s are, s

say he would call to

t most proba

ds. Wilfrid has not spoken more than a dozen sentences. I have had to dine on buns and hideous soup. I am half-dead with the smell of cabs. Oh! if ever I am poor it will kill me. That damp hay and close musty life are too intolerable! Yes

abella so cogent that she said at once: "If

n by Adela was accompan

that she had sent t

not we! Really, if life were a round of sensual pleasur

em. Eventually Adela consented to drink some sparkling light wine; and being thirsty she drank eagerly, and her tongue was loosed, insomuch that she talked of things as one who had never been a bles

nto one of her reflective 'long-shot' moods, chanced to say, "What a number of different beings there

m I at all-at all-in the remotest degree

e; that is, it did not come with the vehemence and vol

was an offensive truism, of whi

him ostensibly as an invalid; they were to marvel publicly at Mrs. Chump's continued absence, and a letter requesting her to return was to be writte

ITOR'S B

ithout love

are sentimentalists-T

not a

at a mortal wound,

he poo

ious stolen fruit! M

in the habit of cli

them so much

pasturage fo

he modern fe