John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
General
John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
West Country (England) -- Fiction
’Orange,’ said the Captain, coldly, ’as you pretend to know me, I may
return the compliment, and admit that I know you. Now what is the
meaning of this sudden sympathy with Mirelle? I know you do not love
her; I have eyes in my head which have long ago convinced me that you do
not even like her. This outbreak of zeal for her welfare and happiness,
I am led to believe, covers—as you were pleased coarsely to remark to
me—some selfish aim. And that aim I can discern without difficulty. I
understand,’ he added with a sneer, ’that Mirelle had constituted you
treasurer and agent and plenipotentiary over all her property, landed
and funded and invested, with perfect liberty to deal with it as you
listed, and without any one to control your proceedings and check your
accounts. And _that_ after her experience of how the Trampleasure
family deals in trust matters! _O sancta simplicitas!_’
Orange looked at him sullenly.
’Think so if you will, but I tell you you are mistaken.’ She stepped
before him, barring his road, and held out her hands. ’Captain
Trecarrel, I give you one chance more. Let her go. Send her to her
convent. Have pity upon both her and me.’ Then her rage swelled into a
paroxysm; she grasped his shoulders with her strong hands, and shook
him. ’Captain Trecarrel, will you be advised, will you be ruled? Do
not think in your heart that ever she will be yours, and Welltown joined
to Trecarrel! That will never, never be. Let her go. You alone can
save her. The carriage has halted for us at the top of the hill. Now
call to the postilion to turn his horses and drive back to Plymouth.’
Captain Trecarrel released himself, with a feeling of disgust at her
violence and ill-breeding.
’Let us catch up the carriage, Orange,’ he said coldly: ’we have dropped
far behind. You are excited, and hot, and unreasonable. If you wish to
hear what directions I shall give to the driver, you must wait.’
They walked on hastily, side by side, without speaking. Orange’s breath
was like a flame between her lips.
The post-boy had drawn up the horses at the head of the hill. As they
prepared to step into the chaise, Captain Trecarrel remarked—
’She is asleep still. Bless me, she looks as if she might sleep away
into death without those looking on being conscious of the change.’
Orange took her place opposite Mirelle, and Captain Trecarrel sat by the
sleeper’s side.
’You really wish this?’ he asked of Orange.
’Yes; give the word to the post-boy,’ she answered, looking him hard in
the face.
’Drive straight on,’ shouted the Captain; ’we are ready.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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