Mary Seaham: A Novel. Volume 1 of 3Grey, Mrs. (Elizabeth Caroline)
General
Mary Seaham: A Novel. Volume 1 of 3
Grey, Mrs. (Elizabeth Caroline)
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Mate selection -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
Mr. Trevor shook his head, saying his father would expect him; but that,
at any rate, he need not go early, so they could talk about it in the
morning, and he shook hands with both ladies in adieu. Mrs. de Burgh
accompanied Mary to her room, where, after lingering a little to see
that she had everything that she could want to minister to her comfort,
she left the pale and now really-wearied traveller to her needful
repose. But though somewhat subdued by bodily fatigue, Mary, having
humbly knelt and lifted up her heart in prayers of devout gratitude for
the mercy which had not only preserved her in safety through her
journey, but "brought her to see her habitation in peace, and find all
things according to her heart's desire," lay down with a mind divested
of much of those gloomy misgivings, which had troubled her spirit on her
first arrival.
Was it alone the kindness her cousins had shown her that produced this
magic change? Perhaps so, for Mary was just at that age, and more still,
of that disposition when a word--a look--the most imperceptible
influence suffices to change the whole aspect of existence.
"Even as light
Mounts o'er a cloudy ridge, and all is bright,
From east to west one thrilling ray,
Turning a wintry world to May."
But she did not long remain awake to analyze her own sensations on the
subject. The echo of Olivia's "sweet" singing seemed to lull her senses
to repose, and she sank asleep to fancy herself again standing with Mr.
Temple on the hill-side heath.
At first Mr. Temple it seemed to be, till turning, she thought her
companion's form and face had changed into those of Mr. Trevor. And
pain, trouble, and perplexity were the impressions produced by the
circumstance upon her dreamy senses.
The same hand that had so lately pressed hers so gently on bidding her
"good night," was now in her dream wringing it with the fervent emotion,
which had marked her rejected lover's sorrowful farewell, till finally
she was awakened from her first light slumber, by finding herself
repeating aloud in soliloquy these strangely suggested words: "The voice
is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau!"
CHAPTER VIII.
Oh! she is guileless as the birds
That sing beside the summer brooks;
With music in her gentle words,
With magic in her winsome looks;
With kindness like a noiseless spring
That faileth ne'er in heat or cold;
With fancy like the wild dove's wing,
As innocent as it is bold.
WORDSWORTH.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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