Sandra Belloni -- Volume 7

glory. But now it wore the aspect of her life itself, with nothing hidden behind those stormy folds, save peace. South-westward she gazed, eyeing eagerly the struggle of twisting vapour; long f

her sharp eyes to see into his selfishness. The purgatory of her days with Georgiana, when the latter was kept back from her brother in his peril, spurred Emilia to renew her appeal; but she found that all she said drew her into unexpected traps and pitfalls. There was only one thing she could say plainly: "I want to go." If she repeated this, Wilfrid was ready with citations from her letters, wherein she had said 'this,' and 'that,' and many other phrases. His epistolary power and skill in arguing his own case were creditable to him. Affected as Emilia was by other sensations, she could not combat the idea strenuously suggested by him, that he had reason to complain of her behaviour. He admitted his special faults, but, by distinctly tracing them to their origin, he complacently hinted the excuse for them. Mo

rly. To Georgiana's surprise, she manifested no apprehension or regret. "Or else," the lady thought, "she wears a mask to me;" and certainly it was a pale face that Emilia was beginning to wear. At last came Apr

fit of indignation with Wilfrid." She answered: "Italy!

country and my fr

ground of so unexpected a

ogether. Yes! I know what that means now. And he tells me that my life is worth more than to be bound to the pledge of a silly moment. It is! He, Georgey, unkind that you are!-he does not distrust me; but always advis

rom the girl's face, as she threw d

bjects?" sai

. If I see him, and he objects, I can look into his eyes and say what I think right. Why, I have lived like a frozen thing ever sinc

me. I wish you to know how I hate the word I gave that separates me from Merthyr in my Italy, and

o hateful to you, did you not br

besides," she added, curiously half-closing her eyelids, as one do

, "you break your word, y

witness that there is such a difference between us. Am I to live here till all my feelings are burnt out, and my very soul is only a spark in a log of old wood? and to keep him from murdering my countrymen, or flogging the women of Italy! God knows what those Austrians would make him do. He changes. He would easily become an

's cold eyes, to get a look of fo

ove my brother?"

g plucked at without warning, was bitter; but she repressed any exclamation, in her d

, that I were a man, to call him my brother-in-arms! What's a girl's love in retur

h in her intention to depart, she g

the Imperial and patriotic forces, near Brescia, from which the former had retired in some confusion. Great things were expected of Piedmo

e, Emilia let some time pass before she wrote to Wilfrid. Her letter

ame a place. I am surrounded by misery and distraction. I will tell you all when we meet. I have trusted that you were firm. Write instantly. I cannot ask you to co

her first lette

hat I am going to Italy, it is true. I break my promise. I shall hope to have your forgiveness. My heart bleeds for my dear Cornel

id re

Be careful to put on a cloak or thick shawl; we have touches of frost. If I cannot amuse you, perhaps the nightingal

eard, timorous, shy, and full of mystery for her. The moon hung over branches, some that showed young buds, some still bare. Presently the long, rich, single notes cut the air, and melted to their glad delicious chuckle. The singer was answered from a farther bough, and again from one. It grew to be a circle of melody round Emilia at the open window. Was it the same as last year's? The last year's lay in her memory fai

, and might have been thought sad, but she welcomed Tracy Runningbroo

hot, if you like; bu

always sure of you," said Emilia. "You don't care for music; I don't care for poetry

e woman, that I ought to be grateful to you, for, by heaven! you give me, every time I s

ngly; showing that his smart

t the vision of the wretched family seated in the library as usual, when upon midnight they were about to part, and a knock came at the outer door, and two men entered the hall, bearing a lifeless body with a red spot above the heart. She saw Cornelia fall to it. She saw the pale-faced family that had given her shelter, and moaned for lack of a way of helping them and comforting them. She reproached herself for feeling her own full physical life so warm

was sent up to Emilia. She had forgotten this person, and asked Lady Gosstre who it was. Arabella's rival presented herself most winningly. For some time, Emilia listened to her, with wonde

Mr. Pericles, and again, by contrast, on what she was now. Eager to hear of him, or rather to divine the my

oor Poles!"

y something of Mr. Pe

things are, we are glad, after such misunderstandings, to prove to that sorely-tried family who are their friends. I-you would little think so from their treatment of me-I was at school with them. I knew them before they became unintelligible, though they always had a turn for it. To dress

hey want money

organist, whom you knew, was really a b

her: "Oh, do let

two labouring men found him by a tree-I don't know whether you remembered a pollard-willow that stood all white and rotten by the water in the fir-wood:-well, as I said, mad or not, no sooner did poor Cornelia see him than she shrieked that she was the cause of his death. He was laid in the hall-which I have so often trod! and there Cornelia sat by his poor dead body, and accused Wilfrid and her father of every unkindness. They say that the scene was terrible. Wilfrid-but I need not tell you his character. He flutters from flower to flower, but he has feelin

near us now?" sai

r dinner-he was heard that very evening to name a day for his union with her; for that had been quite understood, and he had asked his daughters and got their consent. The sight of Sir Purcell's corpse, and the cries of Cornelia, must have turned him childish. I cannot conceive a situation so harrowing as that of those poor children hearing their father declare himself an impostor! a beggar! a peculator! He cried, poor unhappy man, real tears! The truth was that his nerves suddenly gave way. For, just before-only just before, he was smiling and talking largely. He wished to go on his knees to every one of them, and kept telling them of his love-the servants all awake and listening! and more gossiping servants than the Poles always, by the most extraordinary inadvertence,

of their old disgust at Laura, during this narration. But, hearing the word of pit

each me what to do? I must be extremely delicate, and calculate upon what they would accept from me. For-so I hear-they used to-and may still-nouri

m Laura Tinley; so said her ple

d Emilia, "he can do the mis

the person? He speaks of you constantly. He has consulted doctors with regard to your voice, and the only excuse, dear Miss Belloni, for my visit to you to- day, is my desire that any misunderstanding between you may be cleared. Because, I have just heard-Miss

make the appointment, Laura retired, in high glee at the prospect of winning the gratitude of the inscrutable millionaire. It was true that the absence of any rivalry for the possession of the man took

busy at her writing-desk. She related what she had just hear

o?" said Georgiana. To-morrow ni

feels hollow, and my friends cry out in it. I cannot let him suffer." Sh

osterous to suppose that I can off

r would. I shall repay it. I cannot tell what fills me with this delight, but I know I am able

eorgiana, to produce a dive

e been studying all this while. I have not lost an hour. I would accept a part, and step on the boards within a week, and be certain to succeed. I am just as willing to go to the Conser

, that under any circumstances, I could have given into your hands so large a sum as this that you ask for. My brother has a fortune; and I have also a little property. When I say my brother has a fortune, he has the remains of one

s lip q

I have taught him to feel that; so that in his devotion to this cause he may follow every impulse he has, and still there is his sister to fall back on. My child! see what I have been doing. I have been calculating here." Georgiana took a scroll from her desk, and laid it under Emilia's eyes. "I have reckoned our expenses as far as Turin, and have only c

that it was necessarily positive, and like all minds framed to resolve to action, t

aid. "Postpone our going for a week. I w

uff; but it required an altercation before she consented t