She shuddered at the idea of
passing the night in the same House with a dead Body: She was persuaded
that Elvira’s Ghost would appear to her, and no less certain that such
a visit would kill her with fright. From this persuasion, She resolved
to pass the night at a Neighbour’s, and insisted that the Funeral
should take place the next day. St. Clare’s Cemetery being the nearest,
it was determined that Elvira should be buried there. Dame Jacintha
engaged to defray every expence attending the burial. She knew not in
what circumstances Antonia was left, but from the sparing manner in
which the Family had lived, She concluded them to be indifferent.
Consequently, She entertained very little hope of ever being
recompensed; But this consideration prevented her not from taking care
that the Interment was performed with decency, and from showing the
unfortunate Antonia all possible respect.
Nobody dies of mere grief; Of this Antonia was an instance. Aided by
her youth and healthy constitution, She shook off the malady which her
Mother’s death had occasioned; But it was not so easy to remove the
disease of her mind. Her eyes were constantly filled with tears: Every
trifle affected her, and She evidently nourished in her bosom a
profound and rooted melancholy. The slightest mention of Elvira, the
most trivial circumstance recalling that beloved Parent to her memory,
was sufficient to throw her into serious agitation. How much would her
grief have been increased, had She known the agonies which terminated
her Mother’s existence! But of this no one entertained the least
suspicion. Elvira was subject to strong convulsions: It was supposed
that, aware of their approach, She had dragged herself to her
Daughter’s chamber in hopes of assistance; that a sudden access of her
fits had seized her, too violent to be resisted by her already
enfeebled state of health; and that She had expired ere She had time to
reach the medicine which generally relieved her, and which stood upon a
shelf in Antonia’s room. This idea was firmly credited by the few
people, who interested themselves about Elvira: Her Death was esteemed
a natural event, and soon forgotten by all save by her, who had but too
much reason to deplore her loss.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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