"At the same minute another cry went up, this time from behind the bier,
and John Poindexter could be seen reeling at the side of Felix
Cadwalader, who alone of all present (though he was the youngest and the
least) seemed to retain his self-possession at this painful moment.
Meanwhile the bereaved father, throwing himself at the side of the bier,
began tearing away at the pall in his desire to look upon the face of
her he had left in such rosy health four years before. But he was
stopped, not by Poindexter, who had vanished from the scene, but by
Felix, the cold, severe-looking boy who stood like a guard behind his
sister. Reaching out a hand so white it was in itself a shock, he laid
it in a certain prohibitory way on the pall, as if saying no. And when
his father would have continued the struggle, it was Felix who
controlled him and gradually drew him into the place at his own side
where a minute before the imposing figure of Poindexter had stood; after
which the bearers took up their burden again and moved on.
"But the dramatic scene was not over. As they neared the churchyard
another procession, similar in appearance to their own, issued from an
adjoining street, and Evelyn's young lover, who had died almost
simultaneously with herself, was brought in and laid at her side. But
not in the same grave: this was noticed by all, though most eyes and
hearts were fixed upon Cadwalader, who had escaped his loathsome prison
and returned to the place of his affections for _this_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account