A Widow's Tale, and Other StoriesOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
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A Widow's Tale, and Other Stories
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Fiction; Short stories
She was not made of roses and lilies, like Miss Ridley, but
her dark hair had gleams of colour in it, and her eyes were like the
dark brown mountain streams, dancing, glancing, yet profound as the
depths into which they plunged. Lily was not at all unaware of the
admiration with which she was regarded, and she felt before she came
near them the little thrill of interest that ran through the group of
young men whom she approached. She did not at first perceive that Roger
was among them, but his absence did not make her indifferent to the
other spectators. She came with a little stumble of embarrassment, more
apparent to herself than the lookers-on, feeling their scrutiny, and
feeling, as is common enough, her ankles twisting, her dress blown
about. Much abashed was Lily, but yet she had no particular wish to
escape from the eager lookers-on, who were watching for her as if she
had been the queen. This was how the foolish girl felt it--as if she had
been the queen! just as she herself would advance, her eyes as wide open
as ever they could be, to watch the queen passing, and devour every look
of her and every line of her dress. This was just how the silly young
men would stare at herself. "Gooses!" thought Lily. She had never learnt
grammar, but she understood the minds of men.
"This is the girl who is said to be the prettiest girl in the whole
dale, up the water and down the water," said Featherstonhaugh, with a
little conscious impropriety, feeling that the interest he felt in her
was excessive. As for Murray, his heart began to beat again wildly in
his ears. This time he must confront his sister face to face. Would she,
could she, recognise him? The idea was enough to set all the blood astir
in his veins. And Roger awaited her coming with a tumult in his, that
could scarcely be kept from making itself visible: his heart began to
thump against his breast, his throat grew dry, his colour went and came.
She was his Lily, whatever happened. No one had any right so much as to
look at her but he; and yet they were all staring, and he could say
nothing. A wild fury seemed to glide like fire through his blood,
kindling him as it ran along--fury that would burst out uncontrollable,
like fire, if any door should be opened for it, any occasion given.
Charley Landale was the only innocent person of all the four, who had no
further thought than to take "a good look" at her, and make up his mind
whether she were really as pretty as every one said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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