The Adventures of Harry Richmond — CompleteMeredith, George
General
The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete
Meredith, George
Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction
'I heard of Harry Richmond before I saw him. My curiosity to behold the
two fair boys of the sailor kingdom set me whipping my pony after them
that day so remote, which is always yesterday. My thoughts followed
you, and I wondered—does he mean to be a distinguished countryman of
his Nelson? or a man of learning? Then many an argument with “my
Professor,” until—for so it will ever be—the weaker creature did
succumb in the open controversy, and thought her thoughts to herself.
Contempt of England gained on me still. But when I lay withered, though
so young, by the sea-shore, his country's ancient grandeur insisted,
and I dreamed of Harry Richmond, imagining that I had been false to my
childhood. You stood before me, dearest. You were kind: you were
strong, and had a gentle voice. Our souls were caught together on the
sea. Do you recollect my slip in the speaking of Lucy Sibley's
marriage?—“We change countries.” At that moment I smelt salt air, which
would bring you to my sight and touch were you and I divided let me not
think how far.
'To-morrow I tell the prince, my father, that I am a plighted woman.
Then for us the struggle, for him the grief. I have to look on him and
deal it.
'I can refer him to Dr. Julius for my estimate of my husband's worth.
'“My Professor” was won by it. He once did incline to be the young bold
Englishman's enemy. “Why is he here? what seeks he among us?” It was
his jealousy, not of the man, but of the nation, which would send one
to break and bear away his carefully cultivated German lily. No eye but
his did read me through. And you endured the trial that was forced on
you. You made no claim for recompense when it was over. No, there is no
pure love but strong love! It belongs to our original elements, and of
its purity should never be question, only of its strength.
'I could not help you when you were put under scrutiny before the
margravine and the baroness. Help from me would have been the betrayal
of both. The world has accurate eyes, if they are not very penetrating.
The world will see a want of balance immediately, and also too true a
balance, but it will not detect a depth of concord between two souls
that do not show some fretfulness on the surface.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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