Delaware; or, The Ruined Family. Vol. 1James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
Delaware; or, The Ruined Family. Vol. 1
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Fiction
All Burrel's enthusiasm, too--brought as he was by every circumstance
into nearer connexion with that fair being, than any other events
could possibly have produced--having been admitted to that intimate
friendship which no other man shared--having become the friend and
adviser of her father and brother, and having saved her own life--all
his own natural enthusiasm of character, therefore, unchained by any
opposing motive, broke through all the habitual restraints of the
state of life to which he had so long been accustomed; and during that
afternoon, Henry Burrel, with very little concealment of his feelings,
sat beside Blanche Delaware, full of that bright unaccountable
thing--love.
The matter was so evident, and indeed had been so evident for the last
two or three days, that the eyes of Captain Delaware himself--not very
clear upon such subjects--had been fully opened; and now, as Burrel
bent over his sister's drawing-frame with a look of tenderness and
affection that would bear but one interpretation, he turned his eyes
upon his father to see whether it were really possible that he did not
perceive the feelings that were kindling up before him.
No one perhaps had ever in his day felt more deep and sincere
love than Sir Sidney Delaware, yet--it is wonderful! quite
wonderful!--Burrel might almost, as the old romances term it, have
died of love at his daughter's feet, without his perceiving that any
thing was the matter. Burrel was bending over Blanche Delaware with a
look, and a tone, and a manner, that all declared, "Never, in the many
mingled scenes which I have trod, did I meet with any thing so
beautiful, so gentle, so graceful as yourself!" Captain Delaware, as I
have said, turned his eyes upon his father; but Sir Sidney, with his
fine head a little thrown back, a pair of tortoiseshell spectacles
upon his nose, and his face to the bookcases, was walking quietly
along, looking earnestly for Pliny.
Oh, had you not forgotten all your lessons in the natural history of
the heart, you might have marked much. Sir Sidney Delaware, that would
have given you more to study than could be found in Pliny, ay, or
Plato either!
"I must look to it myself," thought Captain Delaware. "Poor Blanche!
It would not do to have the dear girl's affections trifled with.--Yet,
I do not think he is one to play such a part either--Oh, no!--yet I
must speak to him!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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