The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
Sir Jaspar begged her to compose her spirits, promising to satisfy her
when she should become more calm. But, her thoughts having once turned
into this channel, all her tenderest affections gushed forth to oppose
their being diverted into any other; and the sound, the soul-penetrating
sound of sister!--of brother! once allowed utterance, vibrated through
her frame with a thousand soft emotions, now first welcomed without
check to her heart.
Urgently, therefore, she desired an explanation of the manner in which
this commission had been given; of the tone of voice in which she had
been named; and of the time and place destined for the precious meeting.
Sir Jaspar, though enchanted to see her revived, and enraptured to give
ear to her thanks, and to suck in her praises, was palpably embarrassed
how to answer her enquiries; which he suffered her to continue so long
without interruption or reply, that, her eagerness giving way to
anxiety, she solemnly required to know, whether it were by accident, or
through his own information, that Lord Melbury and Lady Aurora had been
made acquainted with her rights, or, more properly, with her hopes and
her fears in regard to their kindness and support.
Still no answer was returned, but smiling looks, and encouraging
assurances.
The most alarming doubts now disturbed the just opening views of Juliet
'Ah! Sir Jaspar!' she cried, 'why this procrastination? Practise no
deception, I conjure you!--Alas, you make me fear that you have acted
commission?'--
He protested, upon his honour, that that was not the case; yet asked why
she had settled that his commission came from Lady Aurora, or Lord
Melbury?
'Good Heaven!'--exclaimed Juliet, astonished and affrighted.
He had only, he said, affirmed, that his commission was to take her to
those noble personages; not that it had been from themselves that it had
emanated.
Again every feature of Juliet seemed changed by disappointment; and the
accent of reproach was mingled with that of grief, as she pronounced,
'Oh Sir Jaspar! can you, then, have played with my happiness? have
trifled with my hopes?'--
'Not to be master of the whole planetary system,' he cried, 'with Venus,
in her choicest wiles, at its head! I have honourably had my commission;
but it has been for, not from your honourable relations. Those little
invisible, but active beings, who have taken my conscience in charge,
have spurred and goaded me on to this deed, ever since I saw your
distress at the fair Gallic needle-monger's. Night and day have they
pinched me and jirked me, to seek you, to find you, and to rescue you
from that brawny caitiff.'--
'Alas! to what purpose? If I have no asylum, what is my security?--'
'If I have erred, my beauteous fugitive,' said Sir Jaspar, archly, 'I
must order the horses to turn about! We shall still, probably, be in
time to accompany the happy captive to his cell.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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