'Miss Eugenia, then,' cried Miss Margland, before Camilla could reply,
'run for your cloak as soon as you have finished your breakfast.'
Eugenia, hoping to aid her sister in performing a task, which she
considered as a peace-offering to Indiana, said, she had already done.
Camilla now lost all courage for resistance; but feeling her chagrin
almost intolerable, quitted the room with her tea undrunk, and without
making known if she should return or not.
Eugenia followed, and Edgar, much amazed, said, he had forgotten to
order his horse for his morning's ride, and hastily made off: determined
to be ready to hand the sisters to the carriage, and learn whither it
was to drive.
Camilla, who, in flying to her room, thought of nothing less than
preparing for an excursion which she now detested, was again surprised
in tears by Eugenia.
'What, my dearest Camilla,' she cried, 'can thus continually affect you?
you cannot be so unhappy without some cause!--why will you not trust
your Eugenia?'
'I cannot talk,' she answered, ashamed to repeat reasons which she knew
Eugenia held to be inadequate to her concern--'If there is no resource
against this persecution--if I must render myself hateful to give them
satisfaction, let us, at least, be gone immediately, and let me be
spared seeing the person I so ungratefully offend.'
She then hurried down stairs; but finding Edgar in waiting, still more
quickly hurried back, and in an agony, for which she attempted not to
account, cast herself into a chair, and told Eugenia, that if Miss
Margland did not contrive to call Edgar away, the universe could not
prevail with her to pass him in such defiance.
'My dear Camilla,' said Eugenia, surprized, yet compassionately, 'if
this visit is become so painful to you, relinquish it at once.'
'Ah, no! for that cruel Miss Margland will then accuse me of staying
away only to follow the counsel of Edgar.'
She stopt; for the countenance of Eugenia said--'_And is that not your
motive?_' A sudden consciousness took place of her distress; she hid her
face, in the hope of concealing her emotion, and with as calm a voice as
she could attain, said, the moment they could pass unobserved she would
set off.
Eugenia went downstairs.
'Alas! alas!' she then cried, 'into what misery has this barbarous Miss
Margland thrown me! Eugenia herself seems now to suspect something
wrong; and so, I suppose, will my uncle; and I can only convince them of
my innocence by acting towards Edgar as a monster.--Ah! I would sooner a
thousand times let them all think me guilty!'
Eugenia had met Miss Margland in the hall, who, impatient for their
departure, passed her, and ascended the stairs.
At the sound of her footsteps, the horror of her reproaches and
insinuations conquered every other feeling, and Camilla, starting up,
rushed forward, and saying 'Good morning!' ran off.