Domestic fiction; New England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
But it was not. Fidelia heard his voice at the door after she had gone
to her room for the night. She did not hear what he said, but she heard
Mrs Stone's answer.
"Yes, you did give us a scare. But there is no harm done. At least I
hope not. They've both gone to bed anyhow. You can't very well see
either of them to-night."
"I will call to-morrow, if possible. But if I should not see them again
to-morrow--"
That was all Fidelia heard.
"Not see him to-morrow! No, nor the next day, nor the next--nor ever
again, I hope and pray," said Fidelia, hiding her face in her hands.
For she was beginning to understand what had come upon her. And had she
been a traitor to herself as well as to Eunice? Had she read aright the
triumph in his eyes? And was he a traitor too?
"And, oh, Eunice--Eunice--Eunice!"
That was the burden of her thoughts, through many weary hours. She
slept towards morning, and woke with a burden of shame and anger, and
sorrow and dread, which made all trouble which she had passed through;
or which she dreaded, seem as nothing to her.
But one night of sleepless misery does not pale the face, or dim the
eye, or quell the courage of a healthy girl of eighteen; and she rose
early and did all that she usually did in the morning, and, for all that
Mrs Stone's watchful eyes could see, enjoyed her breakfast as usual.
The morning passed as other mornings had, except that, perhaps, the time
given upstairs to her books was a little longer than she gave on most
days. But she came down in the middle of her work to read a bit to
Eunice, as she sometimes did, either that she might claim admiration for
something which she herself admired, or to ask an explanation of
something which she did not quite understand. After dinner, she
declared herself inclined to go and see old Mrs Belknap, which, she
owned, she ought to have done long ago.
"Will you go with me, Mrs Stone?"
Mrs Stone hesitated.
"Well, no; I guess I'll stay with Eunice. Oh, yes, she's well enough!--
but I guess I'll stay. If you'll wait till to-morrow I'll try to go."
"But I am going somewhere else to-morrow. I guess I'll go."
"You'll miss seeing the last of Dr Justin if you go. He goes at five."
"Oh, I can be back long before five! I don't mean to stay to tea, even
if she should ask me, which is not likely. I wonder if there is
anything I could carry to the poor old lady."
"I thought of sending her the stockings I finished last. And you might
take her a bottle of pickles. I'll put them in the basket if you are
bound to go."
"Why, Fidelia, you'll miss saying good-bye to Dr Justin," said Eunice
also, when Fidelia went into her room before starting.
"I can be back before five. Three hours--nearly four. Oh, yes, I can
be back! If I don't go to see the old lady to-day I can't this week,
and perhaps not at all. I think I had better go, Eunice. I'll take the
near way through the woods."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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