Hoping to retrieve the error of her eagerness, she seated herself at the
table, and affected to finish her breakfast.
Eugenia told her they had discovered the cause of the accident, which
had been owing to a sharp stone that had penetrated into the horse's
hoof, and which Edgar was now endeavouring to extract.
A general scream, just then, from the window party, and a cry from
Eugenia of 'O Edgar!' carried her again to the hall-door with the
swiftness of lightning, calling out, 'Where?... What?... Good
Heaven!...'
Molly Mill, accidentally there before her, said, as she approached, that
the horse had kicked Mr. Mandlebert upon the shoulder.
Every thing but tenderness and terror was now forgotten by Camilla; she
darted forward with unrestrained velocity, and would have given, in a
moment, the most transporting amazement to Edgar, and to herself the
deepest shame, but that Mr. Tyrold, who alone had his face that way,
stopt, and led her back to the house, saying, 'There is no mischief; a
bee stung the poor animal at the instant the stone was extracted, and
the surprise and pain made it kick; but, fortunately, without any bad
effect. I wish to know how your uncle is; I should be glad you would go
and sit with him till I can come.'
With these words he left her; and, though abashed and overset, she found
no sensation so powerful as joy for the safety of Edgar.
Still, however, too little at ease for conversing with her uncle, she
went straight to her own chamber, and flew involuntarily to a window,
whence the first object that met her eyes was her father, who was
anxiously looking up. She retreated, utterly confounded, and threw
herself upon a chair at the other end of the room.
Shame now was her only sensation. The indiscretion of her first
surprise, she knew, he must forgive, though she blushed at its
recollection; but a solicitude so pertinacious, an indulgence so
repeated of feelings he had enjoined her to combat ... how could she
hope for his pardon? or how obtain her own, to have forfeited an
approbation so precious?
She could not go to her uncle; she would have remained where she was
till summoned to dinner, if the house-maid, after finishing all her
other work, had not a third time returned to inquire if she might clean
her room.
She then determined to repair to the library, where she was certain only
to encounter Eugenia, who would not torment, or Dr. Orkborne, who would
not perceive her: but at the bottom of the stairs she was stopt by Miss
Margland, who, with a malicious smile, asked if she was going to hold
the bason?
'What bason?' cried she, surprised.
'The bason for the surgeon.'
'What surgeon?' repeated she, alarmed.
'Mr. Burton, who is come to bleed Mr. Mandlebert.'
She asked nothing more. She felt extremely faint, but made her way into
the park, to avoid further conference.