'I have not heard from her since,' hesitatingly replied Mrs Pemberton.
'But can't you write to her?'
'Yes;--but in her last letter she said she was going to change her
lodgings, and would write again when settled in a new habitation.'
Again Mrs Mowbray paced the room in wild and violent distress: but her
sorrows at length yielded to the gentle admonitions and soothings of Mrs
Pemberton, who bade her remember, that when she rose in the morning she
had not expected the happiness and consolation which she had met with
that day; and that a short time might bring forth still greater comfort.
'For,' said Mrs Pemberton, 'I can write to the house where she formerly
lodged, and perhaps the person who keeps it can give us intelligence of
her.'
On hearing this, Mrs Mowbray became more composed, and diverted her
sorrow by a thousand fond inquiries concerning Adeline, which none but a
mother could make, and none but a mother could listen to with patience.
While this conversation was going on, a knock at the door was heard, and
Miss Woodville entered the room in great emotion; for she had heard, on
the road, that a mad bullock had attacked a lady; and also that Mrs
Mowbray, scarcely able to walk, had been led into the white house in the
field by the road side.
Miss Woodville was certainly as much alarmed as she pretended to be:
but there was a somewhat in the expression of her alarm which, though
it gratified Mrs Mowbray, was displeasing to the more penetrating Mrs
Pemberton. She could not indeed guess that Miss Woodville's alarm sprung
merely from apprehension lest Mrs Mowbray should die before she had
provided for her in her will: yet, notwithstanding, she felt that her
expressions of concern and anxiety had no resemblance to those of real
affection; and in spite of her habitual candour, she beheld Miss
Woodville with distrust.
But this feeling was considerably increased on observing, that when Mrs
Mowbray exultingly introduced her, not only as the lady whose life she
had been the means of preserving, but as the friend and correspondent
of her daughter, she evidently changed colour; and, in spite of her
habitual plausibility, could not utter a single coherent sentence of
pleasure or congratulation:--and it was also evident, that, being
conscious of Mrs Pemberton's regarding her with a scrutinizing eye, she
was not easy till, on pretence of Mrs Mowbray's requiring rest after her
alarm, she had prevailed on her to return home.
But she could not prevent the new friends from parting with eager
assurances of meeting again and again; and it was agreed between them,
that Mrs Pemberton should spend the next day at the Lawn.
Mrs Pemberton, who is thus again introduced to the notice of my readers,
had been, as well as Mrs Mowbray, the pupil of adversity. She had been
born and educated in fashionable life; and she united to a very lovely
face and elegant form, every feminine grace and accomplishment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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