Electronic Book page

"Alice," said she to her maid, and her cheek, that had only a little
before been so pale, now glowed with indignation like fire as she spoke,
"Alice, I have degraded myself; I am sunk forever in my own opinion
since I saw that heartless wretch."
"How is that, miss?" asked Alice; "such a thing can't be."
"Because," replied Lucy, "I was mean enough to throw myself on his very
compassion--on his honor--on his generosity--on his pride as a man and
a gentleman--but he has not a single virtue;" and she then, with cheeks
still glowing, related to her the principal part of their conversation.
"And that was the reply he gave you, miss?" observed Alley; "in truth,
it was more like the answer of a sheriff's bailiff to some poor woman
who had her cattle distrained for rent, and wanted to get time to pay
it."
"Alice," she exclaimed, "I hope in God I may retain my senses,
or, rather, let them depart from me, for then I shall not be
conscious of what I do. Matters are far worse than I had even
imagined--desperate--full of horror.


Pages:
830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 840 841 842 843 844 845 846 847 848 849 850 851 852 853 854