Sandra Belloni -- Volume 7

ference!" he cried. "Let me have two seconds with her!" But how that was to be contrived his diplomatic brain refused to say. "And what a stiff, formal fellow I wa

up to the house and then stood back scanning the windows. Wounded by his audacious irreverence toward the wall

't be the house," stammered Brain

t do you want?"

at won the honour of rescuin

, and take in two or three words from me, and notice particularly how she is looking, and the dr

af from his pocke

One word! I shall expect i

reputation, he shall have short shrift. That fellow Braintop sees her now-my little Emilia! my bird! She won't have changed her dress till she has dined. If she changes it before she goes out-by Jove, if she wears it to-night before all those people, that'll mean 'Good-bye' to me: 'Addio, caro,' as those olive women say, with their damned cold languor, when they have given you up. She's not one of them! Good God! she came into the room looking like a little Empress. I'll swear her

r's shop he was in search of beamed nowhere visible for him, and he returned at the same pace to experience despair at the thought that he might have missed Braintop issuing forth, for whom he scoured the immediate neighbourhood, and overhauled not a few quiet gentlemen of all ages. "An envelope!" That was the object of his desire, and for that he wooed a damsel passing jauntily with a jug in her hand, first telling her that h

cily; but proved a diligent messenger

a single chain to keep me from you. From any moment t

ion opposite he guessed the instant when it was taken out, and from that judged when she would be reading it. Or perhaps she would not read it till she was alone? "That must be her bedr

stock of philosophy at his disposal. He burned with rage to think

e Truth from the bottom of the well in him, and he felt that his sole desire was to see Emilia once more-but once! that night. Running hard, in the midst of obstacles, and with eye and mind fined on one object, disasters befell him. He knocked apples off a stall, and heard vehement hallooing behind: he came into collision with a gentleman of middle age courting digestion as he walked from his trusty dinner at home to his rubber at the Club: finally he rushed full tilt against a pot-boy who was bringing all his pots broadside to the flow of the street. "By Jove! is this what they drink?" he gasped, and dabbed with his handkerchief at the beer-

, sir," said

indows of the carriage. Wilfrid could have pulled the trigger of a pistol at his forehead that moment. He saw that Miss Ford had recogniz

m the chances of seizure. In wild rage he began protesting that he could not possibly enter, when Georgiana said, "I wish to speak to you," and

my father's clerk. I had to see him on urgent business;

tly posted, performing upon hi

ack to the light, and sa

Braintop pronounced that

and hung with frightful suspense on t

r!" sniffe

tried to remember whether he had felt any sacred joy in tou

cket of his coat. "I happen to ha

t is

ccept something: I can't refuse. It's this:-the remains

ration, saturated his handkerchief, and worked at hi

s it?" he ask

n's Bouq

en due gratitude if Emilia's senses discerned not the curse on him. In the hall a gust from the great opening contention between Alderman's Bouquet and bad beer, stifled his sickly hope. Frantic, but under perfect self-comman

call you away?" she asked, and

remain here. Wi

er hand out in full sympathy, and Emilia said, in her deep whisper, "Le

that, he having seen her in it, she had determined none others should. Though feeling utterly humiliated, he was yet happy. Driving to the station, he perceived starlight overhead, and blessed it; while his hand waved busily to conduct a current of fresh, oblivious air to his nostrils. The quiet heaven

id, thus setting a perfume to contend with a stench, instead of wasting for time, change of raiment, and the broad lu