The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 07, No. 42, April, 1861: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and PoliticsVarious
General
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 07, No. 42, April, 1861: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
American periodicals
"Her lot is on you! silent tears to weep,
And patient smiles to wear through suffering's hour,
And sumless riches from affection's deep
To pour on"--something--"a wasted shower!"
Yes, wasted, indeed! I hadn't answered a word to his question.
"It seems warm in this room," said he again, languidly; "shall we walk
on the piazza?"
"I think not," I answered, curtly; "I am not warm."
Even that, did not bring him to me. He still leaned his head on his hand
for a minute or two, and then rose from the sofa and sat by the window,
looking at the western sky, where the sun had long gone down. I could
see his profile against the outer light, however, and it did not look
placid. His brow was knit and mouth compressed. So, then, it was all
very likely!
Having set out on my race of suspecting, my steeds did not lag. They
were winged already, and I goaded them continually with memories. There
was nothing I did not think of or accuse him of,--especially, the last
and worst sin of breaking off our engagement at the eleventh hour!--and
I, who had suffered silently, secretly, untold torments about that name
of his,--nobody, no man, could ever guess how keenly, because no man can
ever feel as a woman does about such things! Men,--they would as soon
marry Tabitha as Juliana. They could call her "Wife." It made no matter
to them. What did any man care, provided she chronicled small beer,
whether she had taste, feeling, sentiment, anything? Here I was wrong,
as most passionate people are at some time in their lives. Some men do
care.
At the moment I had reached the top-most pinnacle of my wrath, and was
darting lightnings on all mankind, Polly showed in Lieutenant Herbert,
with his book of promised engravings.
With a natural revulsion of temper, I descended rapidly from my
pinnacle, and, stepping half-way across the room, met the Lieutenant
with unusual cordiality. Mr. Sampson bowed slightly and sat still. I
drew two chairs towards the centre-table, lighted the argand, and seated
myself with the young officer to examine and admire the beautiful
forms in which the gifted artist has clothed the words rather than the
thoughts of the writer,--out of the coarse real, lifting the scenes into
the sweet ideal,--and out of the commonest, rudest New-England life,
bringing the purest and most charming idyllic song. We did not say this.
I looked across at the window, where still sat the figure, motionless.
Not a word from him. I looked at Lieutenant Herbert. He was really very
handsome, with an imperial brow, and roseate lips like a girl's. Somehow
he made me think of Claverhouse,--so feminine in feature, so martial in
action! Then he talked,--talked really quite well,--reflected my own
ideas in an animated and eloquent manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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