Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
Vain delusion, and wholly unshared by Angela! The entire face of
existence seemed to have changed for her in that April night and
nothing seemed to have its right proportions. But one sad truth made
itself felt at the moment when she became Neville Tremaine’s wife--she
was not in love with him. She loved him deeply and truly and would not
have turned from him in any event, even though the mother that bore him
did so. But mothers have a sense of responsibility in their love, and
Mrs. Tremaine felt as if, through some secret wickedness on her part
or Colonel Tremaine’s, she had brought into the world a traitor and
that God’s judgment was upon Neville therefor. She could not make this
intelligible to anyone except Colonel Tremaine, who himself inclined to
the same dread theory.
Richard Tremaine’s broad intelligence took a more just view of
Neville’s course, but Richard was powerless to move his parents. From
the hour when Neville went forth an outcast from his father’s house,
his name was never mentioned at family prayers, an omission which went
like a sword to the hearts of all those assembled at those prayers.
Also by a tacit understanding Neville’s name was no more spoken in the
presence of the master and mistress of Harrowby.
Apparently there was not the smallest outward alteration in Angela
herself or in her position. But in reality a stupendous change had
occurred. Angela was a wife, and subject to no authority except that
of her husband, and could no longer be disposed of as if she were a
child. Something of this showed subtly in her air and manner from the
beginning. There was a gravity and self-command which she adopted
instinctively with her new name of Angela Tremaine. No one saw and felt
this more than Lyddon. He read Angela’s heart like an open book, and
sighed for her.
Three days after her marriage, a small parcel addressed to Lyddon
reached Harrowby. It had been forwarded through the British consul at
Norfolk. Within was a letter addressed to Mrs. Neville Tremaine, and
the parcel consisted of a considerable sum of money in gold eagles.
Lyddon handed it to Angela in the presence of Mrs. Tremaine. It was
a sweet spring morning and the two were superintending the work in
the old garden just as they had done since Angela was a child. After
reading the letter she had not offered to show it to Mrs. Tremaine, but
put it quietly into her pocket.
Mrs. Tremaine, knowing from whom it came, and panting for news of the
outcast, still would not speak, and Angela, who was as sensitive to
Neville’s honor as if she were in love with him, had the haughtiness
of a wife in the presence of those who have dealt injustice to her
husband. She balanced the little packet of gold in her delicate
fingers, and her eyes, which had grown dark and serious, suddenly
assumed the inquisitiveness of a child.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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