An hour, a tedious hour to Adeline, having elapsed, Glenmurray's
visitors departed; and by the disappointment that Adeline experienced at
hearing the door close on them, she felt that she had had a secret hope
of being summoned to be presented to them; and, with a bitter feeling of
mortification, she reflected, that she was probably to the man whom she
adored a shame and a reproach.
'Yet I should like to see them,' she said, running to the window as
the carriage drove up, and the ladies entered it. At that moment they,
whether from curiosity to see her, or accident, looked up at the window
where she was. Adeline started back indignant and confused; for,
thrusting their heads eagerly forward, they looked at her with the bold
unfeeling stare of imagined superiority; and Adeline, spite of her
reason, sunk abashed and conscious from their gaze.
'And this insult,' exclaimed she, clasping her hands and bursting into
tears, 'I experience from Glenmurray's _relations_! I think I could have
borne it better from any one else.'
She had not recovered her disorder when Glenmurray entered the room,
and, tenderly embracing her, exclaimed, 'Never, never again, my love,
will I submit to such a sacrifice as I have now made;' when seeing her
in tears, too well aware of the cause, he gave way to such a passionate
burst of tenderness and regret, that Adeline, terrified at his
agitation, though soothed by his fondness, affected the cheerfulness
which she did not feel, and promised to drive the intruders from her
remembrance.
Had Glenmurray and Adeline known the real character of the unwelcome
visitors, neither of them would have regretted that Adeline was not
presented to them. One of them was married, and to so accommodating a
husband, that his wife's known gallant was his intimate friend; and
under the sanction of his protection she was received every where, and
visited by every one, as the world did not think proper to be more
clear-sighted than the husband himself chose to be. The other lady was a
young and attractive widow, who coquetted with many men, but intrigued
with only one at a time; for which self-denial she was rewarded by being
allowed to pass unquestioned through the portals of fashionable society.
But these ladies would have scorned to associate with Adeline; and
Adeline, had she known their private history, would certainly have
returned the compliment.
The peace of Adeline was soon after disturbed in another way. Glenmurray
finding himself disposed to sleep in the middle of the day, his cough
having kept him waking all night, Adeline took her usual walk, and
returned by the church-yard. The bell was tolling; and as she passed she
saw a funeral enter the church-yard, and instantly averted her head.
In so doing her eyes fell on a decent-looking woman, who with a sort of
angry earnestness was watching the progress of the procession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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