Urith: A Tale of DartmoorBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
General
Urith: A Tale of Dartmoor
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Dartmoor (England) -- Fiction
Timid and humble-minded as Luke was, he had never considered that he
could win the affections of any girl, leastways of one such as Urith.
But it was a delight to him to see her, to watch the unfolding of her
mind, and character, and beauty, to know that she was a wild
moor-flower, regarded by no one else but himself, sought by none, or, if
sought, rejecting such seekers with disdain. He was so simple and single
in his aims, that it would have well contented him to merely admire and
humbly love Urith, never revealing the state of his heart, asking of her
nothing but friendship and regard. But--when, all at once, he saw
another stand beside her, take her hand, and seize on her heart with
bold temerity, and by his boldness win it--that was too much for Luke to
endure without infinite pain, and a battle with himself. If he had
formed any ideal picture of the future, it was the harmless one of
himself as the friend, the gentle, unassuming, unasserting friend of
Urith, suffered by her, after some little resistance, to divert her
headlong character, brighten the gloomy depths of her strange mind. He
knew how greatly she needed an adviser and guide, and his highest
ambition was so to help her that she might become a noble and generous
woman. That he had not formed this hope out of pure pastoral zeal he
knew, for he who taught others to search their own consciences, not
lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with God, had explored his
own heart, and measured all its forces; but till this moment he had
never realized that there was a selfishness and jealousy in his love, a
selfishness which would have kept back Urith from knowing and loving
anyone, and a jealousy intense and bitter against the man who obtained
that place in Urith's heart to which he himself laid no claim, but which
he hoped would be forever empty.
He tried to pray, but was unable to do more than move his lips and form
words. Prayers did not appease the ardor, lessen the anguish within. As
he looked up at the moor he saw now that it was still smoking. The storm
of rain in the night had not quenched the fires, nor could the dews of
Divine consolation put out that which blazed within his breast.
He had never envied Anthony till now. When he had been at school, he had
been but scantily furnished with pocket-money. There had been many
little things he would have liked to buy, but could not, having so small
a sum at his disposal; on the other hand, Anthony could at all times
command his father's purse, had spent money as he liked, had wasted it
wantonly, but Luke had accepted the difference with which they had been
treated without resentment; yet, now that Anthony had stepped in between
him and Urith, something very much like hatred formed like gall in his
heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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