Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
General
Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2
Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
English fiction -- 18th century
Lady de Morney and Roseline accompanied her to the nunnery, and
delivered her up to the maternal care of the abbess, and the protection
of father Anselm. They both appeared pleased and satisfied with her
ready compliance with their commands, and rejoiced to see her look so
well. They had suffered great anxiety on her account, and the father,
who had visited her frequently during her indisposition, and had
cherished bu few hopes of her recovery, now told her he trusted she
would not more wish to forsake their holy sanctuary, as he doubted
not her illness was a penance inflicted by Providence for leaving it
at a season so particularly appropriated to the sacred duties of
the church.
Roseline, before she left the nunnery, accompanied Madeline to her cell,
the abbess having granted her this indulgence. Here they unobserved gave
way to the sad luxury of tears. They wept on each other's bosom, and the
sobbing Madeline, deaf to the soothing consolations of her sympathizing
friend, requested her to present Edwin with her grateful acknowledgements
for his many kind attentions, and which in the moment of parting she was
unable to express. She hoped he would not forget her, and begged his
sister to assure him, that, if she were compelled to take the veil, she
should retain his image in her heart, though her life were dedicated to
the service of her God. She likewise cautioned Roseline to beware, and
guard against the fly and dangerous intrusions of love, which brought
with them innumerable sorrows, and never to encourage hopes, as she had
done, which she feared would end in disappointment and misery.
Roseline knew these hints alluded to the prisoner; the blush which
tinged her cheek convinced her friend she was perfectly understood.
Indeed, she had before ventured to tell her, that, in her attentions
to relieve the miseries she commiserated, she might become too tenderly
a sharer in them, and, in freeing the captive from his fetters, might
herself be enslaved. Roseline thanked her friend, but denied the caution
being necessary, and instantly tool her leave, in order to put an end
to a conversation which now became unpleasant, and gave her more pain
than she chose to acknowledge.
The evening, as may be supposed, passed slowly and heavily at the
castle. Roseline felt unfeigned regret at the departure of her friend,
and Edwin found in her absence the deprivation of happiness; yet, as
it was unavoidable, he determined as much as possible to conceal his
distress from the prying eye of suspicion, and to employ every hour
he could command, in the service of the unfortunate prisoner, to whom
he felt himself irresistibly and unaccountably attached; but Edwin,
amidst his family at the castle, was not less internally wretched
than poor Madeline, counting her beads in her silent and solitary cell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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