She seated herself at a window, and soon, through the trees, perceived him galloping away. 'Too--too amiable Edgar!' she cried, earnestly looking after him, with her hands clasped, and tears starting into her eyes. Frightened at her own tenderness, she rose, shut the window, and walked to another end of the apartment. She took up a book; but she could not read: 'Too--too amiable Edgar!' again escaped her. She went to her piano-forte; she could not play: 'Too--too amiable Edgar!' broke forth in defiance of all struggle. Alarmed and ashamed, even to herself, she resolved to dissipate her ideas by a long walk; and not to come out of the park, till the first dinner-bell summoned her to dress. CHAPTER XV _Two Sides of a Question_ The intention of Edgar had been to ride to Mrs. Needham, the lady of whom he meant to ask the information to which he had alluded; but a charm too potent for resistance demanded his immediate liberation from the promise to Dr. Marchmont, which bound him to proceed no further till they had again conversed together. He galloped, therefore, to the parsonage-house of Cleves, and entering the study of the Doctor, and taking him by the hand, with the most animated gesture; 'My dear and honoured friend,' he cried, 'I come to you now without hesitation, and free from every painful embarrassment of lurking irresolution! I come to you decided, and upon grounds which cannot offend you, though the decision anticipates your counsel. I come to you, in fine, my dear Doctor, my good and kind friend, to confess that yesterday you saw right, with regard to the situation of my mind, and that, to-day, I have only your felicitations to beg, upon my confirmed, my irrevocable choice!' Dr. Marchmont embraced him: 'May you then,' he cried, 'be as happy, my dear young friend, as you deserve! I can wish you nothing higher.' 'Last night,' continued Edgar, 'I felt all doubt die away: captivating as I have ever thought her, so soft, so gentle, so touchingly sweet, as last night, I had never yet beheld her; you witnessed it, my dear Doctor? you saw her with the baby in her arms? how beautiful, how endearing a sight!' The Doctor looked assentingly, but did not speak. 'Yet even last night was short of the feelings she excited this morning. My dear friend! she was upon the point of making an excursion from which she had promised herself peculiar pleasure, and to see a lady for whom she had conceived the warmest admiration--I begged her to postpone--perhaps relinquish entirely the visit--she had obtained leave from Sir Hugh--the carriage was at the door--would you, could you believe such sweetness with such vivacity? she complied with my request, and complied with a grace that has rivetted her--I own it--that has rivetted her to my soul!' Doctor Marchmont smiled, but rather pensively than rejoicingly; and Edgar, receiving no answer, walked for some time about the room, silently enjoying his own thoughts.