Nothing could exceed her kindness and tenderness. She arranged my room.
She did every thing that could be done to give it an air of comfort. It
was a very luxuriously furnished chamber. All the house was lordly in
its style and arrangements. That first night I slept the sleep of the
weary.
The next day I spent in my room, occupied with my own sad thoughts. At
about three in the afternoon I saw _him_ come up the avenue My heart
throbbed violently. My eyes were riveted upon that well-known face, how
loved! how dear! In vain I tried to conjecture the reason why he should
come. Was it to strike the first blow in his just, his implacable
vengeance? I longed that I might receive that blow. Any thing that came
from _him_ would be sweet.
He staid a long time and then left. What passed I can not conjecture.
But it had evidently been an agreeable visit to my father, for I heard
him laughing uproariously on the piazza about something not long after
he had gone.
I have not seen him since.
For several weeks I scarcely moved from my room. I ate with Mrs.
Compton. Her reserve was impenetrable. It was with painful fear and
trembling that she touched upon any thing connected with the affairs of
the house or the family. I saw it and spared her. Poor thing, she has
always been too timid for such a life as this.
At the end of a month I began to think that I could live here in a state
of obscurity without being molested. Strange that a daughter’s feelings
toward a father and brother should be those of horror, and that her
desire with reference to them should be merely to keep out of their
sight. I had no occupation, and needed none, for I had my thoughts and
my memories. These memories were bitter, yet sweet. I took the sweet,
and tried to solace myself with them. The days are gone forever; no
longer does the sea spread wide; no longer can I hear his voice; I can
hold him in my arms no more; yet I can remember--
“Das süsseste Glück für die trauernde Brust,
Nach der schonen Liebe verschwundener Lust,
Sind der Liebe Schmerzen und Klagen.”
I think I had lived this sort of life for three months without seeing
either my father or brother.
At the end of that time my father sent for me. He informed me that
he intended to give a grand entertainment to the county families, and
wanted me to do the honors. He had ordered dress-makers for me; he
wished me to wear some jewels which he had in the house, and informed
me that it would be the grandest thing of the kind that had ever taken
place. Fire-works were going to be let off; the grounds were to be
illuminated, and nothing that money could effect would be spared to
render it the most splendid festival that could be imagined.
I did as he said. The dress-makers came, and I allowed them to array
me as they chose. My father informed me that he would not give me the
jewels till the time came, hinting a fear that I might steal them.