Emmeline, the Orphan of the CastleSmith, Charlotte
General
Emmeline, the Orphan of the Castle
Smith, Charlotte
Gothic fiction; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Marriage -- Fiction; Single women -- Fiction
It is impossible to describe the grief and indignation of Delamere, at
hearing this relation. He saw all the hopes frustrated which he had been
so long indulging; he saw between him and all he loved, a barrier which
time only could remove; he dared not hope that Emmeline would ever be
induced to break an engagement which she considered as binding; he dared
not flatter himself with the most distant prospect of procuring the
consent of Lord and Lady Montreville, and therefore by their deaths only
could he obtain her; which if he had been unnatural enough to wish, was
yet in all probability very distant; as Lord Montreville was not more
than seven and forty, and of an excellent constitution; and Lady
Montreville three years younger.
Passion and resentment for some moments stifled every other sentiment in
the heart of Delamere. But the impediments that thus arose to his wishes
were very far from diminishing their violence.
The more impossible his union with Emmeline seemed to be, the more
ardently he desired it. The difficulties that might have checked, or
conquered an inferior degree of passion, served only to strengthen his,
and to render it insurmountable--
It was some moments before Emmeline could prevail upon him to listen to
her. She then enquired why he had concealed himself from his father, and
where he had been?
He answered, that he had avoided Lord Montreville, because, had he met
him, he found himself incapable of commanding his temper and of
forbearing to resent his sending Sir Richard Crofts to her, which he had
promised her not to do. That therefore he had taken other lodgings in
another part of the town, where he intended to remain.
Emmeline exhorted and implored him to return to Berkley-square. He
positively refused. He refused also to tell her where he lodged. And
complaining loudly of her cruelty and coldness, yet tenderly entreating
her to take care of her health, he left her; having first procured
permission to see her the next day, and every day till she set out for
Woodfield.
When he was gone, Miss Mowbray wrote to Lord Montreville--
'My Lord,
'In pursuance of the word I passed to your Lordship, I have the
honour to acquaint you that Mr. Delamere has just left me. I
endeavoured to prevail on him to inform me where he lodges; but he
refuses to give me the least information. If it be your Lordship's
wish to see him, you will probably have an opportunity of doing it
here, as he proposed being here to-morrow; but refused to name the
hour, apprehending perhaps that you might meet him, as I did not
conceal from him that I should acquaint you with my having seen him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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