'Well, then, all that remains is this,' said Miss Margland, 'let Miss
Camilla keep out of Mr. Mandlebert's way; and let her order the
carriage, and go to Mrs. Arlbery's to-morrow, and take no notice of his
likings and dislikings; and I'll be bound for it he will soon think no
more of her, and then, of course, he will give the proper attention to
Miss Lynmere.'
'O, if that's all,' cried Sir Hugh, 'my dear Camilla, I am sure, will do
it, and as much again too, to make her cousin easy. And so now, I hope,
all is settled, and my two good girls will kiss one another, and be
friends; which I am sure I am myself, with all my heart.'
Camilla hung her head, in speechless perturbation, at a task which
appeared to her equally hard and unjust; but while fear and shame kept
her silent, Sir Hugh drew her to Indiana, and a cold, yet unavoidable
salute, gave a species of tacit consent to a plan which she did not dare
oppose, from the very strength of the desire that urged her opposition.
They then separated; Sir Hugh delighted, Miss Margland triumphant,
Indiana half satisfied, half affronted, and Camilla with a mind so
crowded, a heart so full, she scarcely breathed. Sensations the most
contrary, of pain, pleasure, hope, and terror, at once assailed her.
Edgar, of whom so long she had only thought as of the destined husband
of Indiana, she now heard named with suspicions of another regard, to
which she did not dare give full extension; yet of which the most
distant surmise made her consider herself, for a moment, as the happiest
of human beings, though she held herself the next as the most culpable
for even wishing it.
She found Eugenia still in her room, who, perceiving her increased
emotion, tenderly enquired, if there were any new cause.
'Alas! yes, my dearest Eugenia! they have been exacting from me the most
cruel of sacrifices! They order me to fly from Edgar Mandlebert--to
resist his advice--to take the very measures I have promised to
forbear--to disoblige, to slight, to behave to him even offensively! my
uncle himself, lenient, kind, indulgent as he is, my uncle himself has
been prevailed with to inflict upon me this terrible injunction.'
'My uncle,' answered Eugenia, 'is incapable of giving pain to any body,
and least of all to you, whom he loves with such fondness; he has not
therefore comprehended the affair; he only considers, in general, that
to please or to displease Edgar Mandlebert can be a matter of no moment
to you, when compared with its importance to Indiana.'
'It is a thousand and a thousand, a million and a million times more
important to me, than it can ever be to her!' exclaimed the ardent
Camilla, 'for she values not his kindness, she knows not his worth, she
is insensible to his virtues!'
'You judge too hastily, my dear Camilla; she has not indeed your warmth
of heart; but if she did not wish the union to take place, why would she
shew all this disquiet in the apprehension of its breach?'