Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
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Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2
Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
English fiction -- 18th century
The whole night he wandered before the habitation of the dying
Lucy,--for that she was dying the horrid scene he had witnessed, the
countenances of those around her, and his own feelings, too well
informed him. During the long and gloomy night, in which he remained
exposed to and unsheltered from the wind and storm, he frequently
stopped to listened at the door. All within was silent and cheerless as
the grave, and in every sound that reached his ear from without, he
imagined he could distinguish groans and sighs. Every object he could
see brought to his tortured imagination the distressing, the convulsed
figure of the once-animated and lovely Lucy, whose distorted features
and painful struggles were ever before his mental sight, there to remain
fixed as long as his existence should endure; for was it possible he
could ever forget or wish to lose the remembrance of that persecuted and
innocent sufferer, who died for the unworthy, the unfortunate Narford?
At length the day broke. The sun arose with its usual splendor, but
appeared to him dark as Erebus. All nature wore one universal gloom, and
had all nature been at that moment annihilated, (as were his hopes,) the
change had been scarcely perceived; for Lucy, who gave to life its
brightest tints, and to all things animate or inanimate, grace, beauty,
and value, was seen no more!--No longer the soft tones of her voice
vibrated on his ear to lull his soul to peace, or, if seen, she had lost
all recollection of the poor forlorn wanderer, who now felt ten-fold
every pang she suffered.
Late in the morning Narford saw a female servant slowly open the door.
He ran, or rather flew, to make his trembling inquiries. She was in
tears, and totally unable to tell him that it was over,--that the
loveliest of women, the favourite child of nature, was no longer the
victim of pain and sorrow, and that her freed spirit now soared beyond
the reach of persecution, "the mortal having put on immortality;" but
her emphatical silence unfolded the sad tale.--A freezing chilness ran
thrilling to his heart, and with a groan of despair he sunk upon his
parent earth. In that happy state of insensibility he was conveyed to
his lodgings by some people who were passing by, where we will for the
present leave him to the care of his sympathizing friends.
This unfortunate young man, notwithstanding his unguarded conduct and
numerous eccentricities, was beloved by many for his generous
disposition, cheerfulness, and unceasing good humour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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