Gloria : $b A novelSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
Gloria : $b A novel
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Maryland -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Women -- United States -- Fiction
“Thank you very much,” said the young lady.
“You’re welcome, honey. Now, then, come to bed,” she added, as she led
the way through the back door to a narrow passage from which a staircase
ascended to the upper room.
Gloria picked up her carpet-bag and followed her conductress.
The room above was of the same size with the one below—like that, the
walls were of hewn stone, unplastered, but the floor was of heavy oak
planks. There were three large windows in front, all hung with coarse
blue and white plaid cotton curtains. There was a fireplace, a size
smaller than the one below; a pine table, with a small standing
looking-glass on it, under the middle window, opposite the fire. There
were two beds in the corners of the room, with their low head-boards
immediately under the two end windows, on each side of the rude
dressing-table.
One of these beds was smoothly made up, as if waiting its occupant. The
other was tumbled and tenanted.
“Come here,” said Mrs. Brent in a whisper, going towards the latter.
Gloria followed her and beheld the sleeper, who, in some restlessness,
had thrown off the cover, revealing her head, breast and arms.
She was a very young girl, with a delicate face and fragile form, fair,
transparent complexion, blooming rosy-red on cheeks and lips, very
light, golden-red hair clustering in glittering tendrils around the
white forehead and roseate cheeks, and with petite features. She would
have been a perfect little beauty but for some irregularities that were
even more piquante and charming than any classic perfection could
possibly be. First, her dark brown eyebrows were of the fly-away
pattern, depressed towards the bridge of the nose and raised towards the
temples. Her tiny nose, no bigger than a baby’s, was the most dainty,
yet the most decided pug that ever was seen. Her upper lip was short,
and her chin pointed. The whole character and expression of the fair,
dainty, petite face, was sly, roguish, mischievous, not to say impish
and malign. One arm, the under one, as she lay upon her right side, was
drawn back with crooked elbow and clenched little fist. The other arm,
the upper one, was thrown over the pillow, also with crooked elbow and
clenched little fist. The attitude of the little sleeping beauty was a
belligerent one.
“Now that’s my niece Philly—Philippa, you know, ma’am—and that’s the way
she always sleeps. Just like a kitten or a puppy that is dreaming of a
fight. Now just you watch!”
With these words, Mrs. Brent took hold of the shoulder of the sleeper,
exclaiming:
“Phil! Phil! Wake up! Move farther! You’ll tumble out of the bed!”
The sleeper gave a little growl and a great bounce, and threw herself
over on her other side, striking another aggressive attitude, and
immediately relapsed into deep sleep. Gloria could not help laughing as
she said:
“She is very pretty and very good-humored, I am sure, notwithstanding
that she dreams of fights!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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