The International Magazine, Volume 4, No. 5, December 1851Various
History
The International Magazine, Volume 4, No. 5, December 1851
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
Sir Philip made a slight, but impatient motion of the hand, but Mr.
Short went on to say, "As she was so severely and terribly affected,
Sir Philip, I have given Mistress Emily a composing draught, which has
already had the intended effect of throwing her into profound slumber.
It will insure her, I think, at least six, if not seven hours of calm
repose, and I trust she will rise better able to bear her grief than
she would be now, were she conscious of it."
Sir Philip muttered something between his teeth which the surgeon
did not hear, and Mr. Short proceeded, saying, "Will you permit me
to suggest, Sir Philip, that it would be better for you too, my dear
sir, to take something which would counteract the depressing effect of
sorrow."
"I thank you, sir, I thank you," replied Sir Philip, laying his
hand upon the book; "I have no need. The mind under suffering seeks
medicines for the mind. The body is not affected. It is well--too well.
Here is my doctor;" and he raised his hand and let it fall upon the
book again.
"Well then, I will leave you for to-night, Sir Philip," said the
surgeon; "to-morrow I must intrude upon you on business of great
importance. I will now take my leave."
Sir Philip rose ceremoniously from his chair and bowed his head; gazing
upon the surgeon as he left the room and shut the door, with a keen,
cunning, watchful look from under his overhanging eyebrows.
"Ha!" he said, when the surgeon had left the room, "he thought to
catch me--to find out what I intended to do--slumber!--calm, tranquil
repose--so near a murdered mother! God of heaven!" and he bent down his
head till his forehead touched the pages of the book, and remained with
his face thus concealed for several minutes.
It is to be remarked that not one person, with a single exception, to
whom the circumstances of Lady Hastings' death were known, even dreamed
of suspecting Emily. They all knew her, comprehended her character,
loved her, had faith in her, except her own unhappy father. But with
him, if the death of his unhappy wife were terrible, his suspicions
of his daughter were a thousand fold more so. To his distorted vision
a multitude of circumstances brought proof all powerful. "She has
tried to destroy her father," he thought, "and she has not scrupled
to destroy her mother. In the one case there seemed no object. In the
other there was the great object of revenge, with others perhaps more
mean, but not less potent. Try her cause what way I will, the same
result appears. The mother opposes the daughter's marriage to the man
she loves--threatens to frustrate the dearest wish of her heart--and
nothing but death will satisfy her. This is the end then of all these
reveries--these alternate fits of gloom and levity. The ill balanced
mind has lost its equipoise, and all has given way to passion. But what
must I do--oh God! what must I do?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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