CHAPTER XVII
Elinor returned almost instantly. 'Hasten, hasten,' she cried, 'Ellis!There is no time to be lost. Scene the first is all prepared. AlbertHarleigh, at this very moment, is poring over the county map in thehall. Run and tell him that you have something of deep importance tocommunicate to him to-morrow.'
'But may he not--if he means to go--desire to hear it immediately?'
Elinor, without answering, forced her away. Harleigh, whose back was tothe stair-entrance, seemed intently examining some route. The distressof Ellis was extreme how to call for his notice, and how to execute hercommission when it should be obtained. Slowly and unwillinglyapproaching a little nearer, 'I am afraid,' she hesitatingly said, 'thatI must appear extremely importunate, but--'
The astonishment with which he turned round, at the sound of her voice,could only be equalled by the pleasure with which he met her eyes; andonly surpassed, by the sudden burst of clashing ideas with which he sawher own instantly drop; while her voice, also, died away; her cheeksbecame the colour of crimson; and she was evidently and wholly at a losswhat to say.
'Importunate?' he gently repeated, 'impossible!' yet he waited her ownexplanation.
Her confusion now became deeper; any sort of interrogation would haveencouraged and aided her; but his quiet, though attentive forbearanceseemed the result of some suspension of opinion. Ashamed and grieved,she involuntarily looked away, as she indistinctly pronounced, 'I mustappear ... very strange ... but I am constrained.... Circumstances ofwhich I am not the mistress, force me to ... desire--to request--thatto-morrow morning--or any part of to-morrow ... it might be possiblethat I could ... or rather that you should be able to ... to hearsomething that ... that....'
The total silence with which he listened, shewed so palpably hisexpectation of some competent reason for so singular an address, thather inability to clear herself, and her chagrin in the idea offorfeiting any part of an esteem which had proved so often herprotection, grew almost insupportably painful, and she left her phraseunfinished; yet considered her commission to be fulfilled, and wasmoving away.
'To-morrow,' he said, 'I meant to have accompanied my brother, whoseaffairs--whatever may be his fate--oblige him to return to town: butif ... if to-morrow--'
He had now, to impede her retreat, stept softly between her and thestaircase, and perceived, in her blushes, the force which she had putupon her modesty; and read, in the expression of her glistening eyes,that an innate sense of delicacy was still more wounded, by the demandwhich she had made, even than her habits of life. With respect,therefore, redoubled, and an interest beyond all calculation increased,he went on; 'If to-morrow ... or next day--or any part of the week, youhave any commands for me, nothing shall hurry me hence till they areobeyed.'
Comforted to find herself treated with unabated consideration, howevershocked to have the air of detaining him purposely for her own concerns,she was courtsying her thanks, when she caught a glance of Elinor on thestairs, in whose face, every passion seemed with violence at work.
Ellis changed colour, not knowing how to proceed, or how to stop. Thealteration in her countenance made Harleigh look round, and discernElinor; yet so pre-occupied was his attention, that he was totallyunmindful of her situation, and would have addressed her as usual, hadshe not abruptly re-mounted the stairs.
Harleigh would then have asked some directions, relative to the time andmanner of the purposed communication; but Ellis instantly followedElinor; leaving him in a state of wonder, expectation, yet pleasureindescribable; fully persuaded that she meant to reveal the secret ofher name and her history; and forming conjectures that every momentvaried, yet every moment grew more interesting, of her motives for sucha confidence.
Ellis found Elinor already in her chamber, and, apparently, in thehighest, though evidently most factitious spirits: not, however, feignedto deceive Ellis, but falsely and forcibly elated to deceive, or, atleast, to animate herself. 'This is enchanting!' she cried, 'this isdelectable! this is every thing that I could wish! I shall now know thetruth! All the doubts, all the difficulties, that have been crazing mefor some time past, will now be solved: I shall discover whether hislong patience in waiting my determination, has been for your sake, orfor mine. He will not go hence, till he has obeyed your commands!--Is heglad of a pretence to stay on my account? or impelled irresistibly uponyours? I shall now know all, all, all!'
The lengthened stay of Albert being thus, she said, ascertained, sheshould send Dennis about his business, without the smallest ceremony.
What she undertook, she performed. Early in the evening she againvisited Ellis, exultingly to make known to her, that Dennis was finallydismissed. She had assigned no reason, she said, for her longprocrastination, reserving that for his betters, alias Albert; but shehad been so positive and clear in announcing her decision, and assuringhim that it proceeded from a most sincere and unalterable dislike, bothto his person and mind, that he had shewn spirit enough to be almostrespectable, having immediately ordered his horse, taken his leave ofAunt Maple, and set off upon his journey. Albert, meanwhile, had said,that he had business to transact at Brighthelmstone, which might detainhim some days; and had accepted an invitation to sleep at Lewes, duringthat period, from poor Aunt Maple; whose provocation and surprise at allthat had passed were delightful.
'To-morrow morning, therefore,' she continued, 'will decide my fate.What, hitherto, Albert has thought of me, he is probably as ignorant asI am myself; for while he has considered me as the property of mybrother, his pride is so scrupulous, and his scruples are so squeamish,that he would deem it a crime of the first magnitude, to whisper, evenin his own ear, How should I like her for myself? He is suspicious ofsome sophistry in whatever is not established by antiquated rules; and,with all his wisdom, and all his superiority, he is constantly anxiousnot to offend that conceited old prejudice, that thinks it taking aliberty with human nature, to suppose that any man can be so indecent asto grow up wiser, and more knowing, than his grandpapa was before him.
'Trifling, however, apart, all my real alarm is to fathom what hisfeelings are for you! Are they but of compassion, playing upon adisengaged mind? If nothing further, the awakening a more potentsentiment will plant them in their proper line of subordination. Thisis what remains to be tried. He has not made you any declaration; he isfree, therefore, from any entanglement: his brother is discharged, andfor ever out of the question; he knows me, therefore, also, to beliberated from all engagement. When I said that you had given me life, Idid not mean, that merely to hear that nothing had yet passed, wasenough to secure my happiness:--Ah no!--but simply that it inspired mewith a hope that gives me courage to resolve upon seeking certitude. Andnow, hear me!
'The second act of the comedy, tragedy, or farce, of my existence, is tobe represented to-morrow. The first scene will be a conference betweenEllis and Albert, in which Ellis will relate the history of Elinor.'
Suddenly, then, looking at her, with an air the most authoritative,'Ellis!' she added, 'there is one article to which you must answer thismoment! Would you, should the choice be in your power, sacrifice LordMelbury to Harleigh? No hesitation!'
'Miss Joddrel,' answered Ellis, solemnly, 'I have neither the hope, northe fear, that belongs to what might be called sacrifice relative toeither of them: I earnestly desire to preserve the esteem of MrHarleigh; and the urbanity--I can call it by no other name--of LordMelbury; but I am as free from the thought as from the presumption, ofexpecting, or coveting, to engage any personal, or particular regard,from either.'
Elinor, appeased, said, 'You are such a compound of mystery, that oneextraordinary thing is not more difficult to credit in you, thananother. My design, as you will find, in making you speak instead ofmyself, is a stroke of Machievalian policy; for it will finish bothsuspences at once; since if, when you talk to him of me, he thinks onlyof my agent, how will he refrain, in answering your embassy, to betrayhimself? If, on the contrary, when he finds his scruples removed abouthis brother, he shoul
d feel his heart penetrated by the cause of thatbrother's dismission--Ah Ellis!--But let us not anticipate act thethird. The second alone can decide, whether it will conclude the piecewith an epithalamium--or a requiem!'
She then disappeared.
Ellis saw her no more till the next morning, when, entering the chamber,breathless with haste and agitation, 'The moment,' she cried, 'is come!I have sent out Aunt Maple, and Selina, upon visits for the wholemorning; and I have called Harleigh into my dressing-room. There,wondering, he waits; I shall introduce you, and wait, in my turn, till,in ten minutes' time, you follow, to give me the argument of the thirdand last act of my drama.'
Ellis, alarmed at what might be the result, would again have supplicatedto be excused; but Elinor, proudly saying, 'Fear no consequences for me!Those who know truly how to love, know how to die, as well as how tolive!' forcibly dragged her down to the dressing-room; through which sheinstantly passed herself, with undisguised trepidation, to her innerapartment.
The astonishment of Harleigh was inexpressible; and Ellis, who hadreceived no positive directions, felt wholly at a loss what she was torelate, how far she ought to go, and what she ought to require. Hastily,therefore, and affrighted at her task, she tapped at the bedroom door,and begged a moment's audience. Elinor opened it, in the greatestconsternation. 'What!' cried she, taking her to the window, 'is allover, without a word uttered?'
No; Ellis answered; she merely wished for more precise commands what sheshould say.
'Say?' cried Elinor, reviving, 'say that I adore him! That since theinstant I have seen him, I have detested his brother; that he alone hasgiven me any idea of what is perfection in human nature! And that, ifthe whole world were annihilated, and he remained ... I should think myexistence divine!'
She then pushed her back, prohibiting any reply.
Harleigh, to whom all was incomprehensible, but whose expectations everymoment grew higher, of the explanation he so much desired, perceivingthe embarrassment of Ellis, gently advanced, and said, 'Shall I beguilty of indiscretion, if I seize this hurried, yet perhaps onlymoment, to express my impatience for a communication of which I havethought, almost exclusively, from the moment I have had it in view? Mustit be deferred? or--'
'No; it admits of no delay. I have much to say--and I am allowed but tenminutes--'
'You have much to say?' cried he, delighted; 'ten minutes to-day may befollowed by twenty, thirty, as many as you please, to-morrow,--and afterto-morrow,--and whenever you command.'
'You are very good, Sir, but my commission admits as little of extensionas of procrastination. It must be as brief as it will be abrupt.'
'Your commission?' he repeated, in a tone of disappointment.
'Yes; I am charged by ... by ... by a lady whom I need not name--to saythat ... that your brother--'
She stopt, ashamed to proceed.
'I can have no doubt,' said he, gravely, 'that Miss Joddrel isconcerned, for the length of time she has wasted in trifling with hisfeelings; but this is all the apology her conduct requires: the breachof the engagement, when once she was convinced, that her attachment wasinsufficient to make the union as desirable to herself as to him, wascertainly rather a kindness than an injury.'
'Yes,--but, her motives--her reasons--'
'I conceive them all! she wanted courage to be sooner decided; sheapprehended reproach--and she gathered force to make her change ofsentiments known, only when, otherwise, she must have concealed it forever.--Pardon this presumptuous anticipation!' added he, smiling; 'butwhen you talk to me of only ten minutes, how can I suffer them to beconsumed in a commission?'
He spoke in a low tone, yet, Ellis, excessively alarmed, pointedexpressively to the chamber-door. In a tone, then, still softer, hecontinued: 'I have been anxious to speak to you of Lord Melbury, and tosay something of the indignation with which I heard, from him, of theatrocious behaviour of Ireton. Nothing less than the respect I feel foryou, could have deterred me from shewing him the resentment I feel formyself. I should not, however, have been your only champion; LordMelbury was equally incensed; but we both acknowledged that ourinterests and our feelings ought to be secondary to yours, and by yoursto be regulated. The matter, therefore, is at an end. Ireton isconvinced that he has done you wrong; and, as he never meant to be yourenemy, and has no study but his own amusement, we must pity his want oftaste, and hope that the disgrace necessarily hanging upon detectedfalse assertion, may be a lesson not lost upon him. Yet he deserves onefar more severe. He is a pitiful egotist, who seeks nothing but his owndiversion; indifferent whose peace, comfort, or reputation pays itspurchase.'
'I am infinitely obliged,' said Ellis, 'that you will suffer the wholeto drop; but I must not do the same by my commission!--You must let me,now, enter more particularly upon my charge, and tell you--'
'Forgive, forgive me!' cried he, eagerly: 'I comprehend all that MissJoddrel can have to say. But my impatience is irrepressible upon a fardifferent subject; one that awakens the most lively interest, thatoccupies my thoughts, that nearly monopolizes my memory; and thatexhausts--yet never wearies my conjectures.--That letter you were sogood as to mention to me?--and the plan you may at length decide topursue?--permit me to hope, that the communication you intend me, hassome reference to those points?'
'I should be truly glad of your counsel, Sir, in my helpless situation:but I am not at this moment at liberty to speak for myself;--MissJoddrel--'
Her embarrassment now announced something extraordinary; but it wasavowedly not personal; and Harleigh eagerly besought her to beexpeditious.
'You must make me so, then,' cried she, 'by divining what I have toreveal!'
'Does Miss Joddrel relent?--Will she give me leave to summon my brotherback?'
'Oh no! no! no!--far otherwise. Your brother has been indifferent toher ... ever since she has known him as such!'
She thought she had now said enough; but Harleigh, whose faculties wereotherwise engaged, waited for further explanation.
'Can you not,' said Ellis, 'or will you not, divine the reason of thechange?'
'I have certainly,' he answered, 'long observed a growing insensibility;but still--'
'And have you never,' said Ellis, deeply blushing, 'seen, also,--itsreverse?'
This question, and yet more the manner in which it was made, was toointelligible to admit of any doubt. Harleigh, however, was far fromelated as the truth opened in his view: he looked grave and disturbed,and remained for some minutes profoundly silent. Ellis, already ashamedof the indelicacy of her office, could not press for any reply.
'I am hurt,' he at length said, 'beyond all measure, by what youintimate; but since Miss Joddrel has addressed you thus openly, therecan be no impropriety in my claiming leave, also, to speak to youconfidentially.'
'Whatever you wish me to say to her, Sir,--'
'And much that I do not wish you to say to her,' cried he, half smiling,'I hope you will hear yourself! and that then, you will have thegoodness, according to what you know of her intentions and desire, topalliate what you may deem necessary to repeat.'
'Ah, poor Miss Joddrel!' said Ellis, in a melancholy tone, 'and is thisthe success of my embassy?'
'Did you, then, wish--' Harleigh began, with a quickness of which heinstantly felt the impropriety, and changed his phrase into, 'Did youthen, suspect any other?'
'I was truly sorry to be entrusted with the commission.'
'I easily conceive, that it is not such a one as you would have given!but there is a dangerous singularity in the character of Miss Joddrel,that makes her prone to devote herself to whatever is new, wild, oruncommon. Even now, perhaps, she conceives that she is the champion ofher sex, in shewing it the road,--a dangerous road!--to a new walk inlife. Yet,--these eccentricities set apart,--how rare are her qualities!how powerful is her mind! how sportive her fancy! and how noble is hersuperiority to every species of art or artifice!'
'Yet, with all this,' said Ellis, looking at him expressively, 'with allthis....' she knew n
ot how to proceed; but he saw her meaning. 'With allthis,' he said, 'you are surprised, perhaps, that I should look forother qualities, other virtues in her whom I should aspire to make thecompanion of my life? I beseech you, however, to believe, that neitherinsolence nor ingratitude makes me insensible to her worth; but, thoughit often meets my admiration, sometimes my esteem, and always my goodwill and regard, it is not of a texture to create that sympathy withoutwhich even friendship is cold. I have, indeed ... till now....'
He paused.
'Poor, poor, Miss Joddrel!' exclaimed Ellis, 'If you could but haveheard,--or if I knew but how to repeat, even the millionenth part ofwhat she thinks of you!--of the respect with which she is ready to yieldto your opinions; of the enthusiasm with which she honours yourcharacter; of the devotion with which she nearly worships you--'
She stopt short, ashamed; and as fearful that she had been now toourgent, as before that she had been too cold.
Harleigh heard her with considerable emotion. 'I hope,' he said, 'yourfeelings, like those of most minds gifted with strong sensibility, havetaken the pencil, in this portrait, from your cooler judgment? I shouldbe grieved, indeed, to suppose--but what can a man suppose, what say,upon a subject so delicate that may not appear offensive? Suffer me,therefore, to drop it; and have the goodness to let that samesensibility operate in terminating, in such a manner as may be leastshocking to her, all view, and all thought, that I ever could, or evercan, entertain the most distant project of supplanting my brother.'
'Will you not, at least, speak to her yourself?'
'I had far rather speak to you!--Yet certainly yes, if she desire it.'
'Give me leave, then, to say,' cried Ellis, moving towards the bedroomdoor, 'that you request an audience.'
'By no means! I merely do not object to it. You may easily conceive whatpain I shall be spared, if it may be evaded. All I request, is a fewmoments with you! Hastily, therefore, let me ask, is your plan decided?'
'To the best of my power,--of my ideas, rather,--yes. But, indeed, Imust not thus abandon my charge!'
'And will you not let me enquire what it is?'
'There is one thing, only, in which I have any hope that my exertionsmay turn to account; I wish to offer myself as a governess to some younglady, or ladies.'
'I beseech you,' cried he, with sudden fervour, 'to confide to me thenature of your situation! I know well I have no claim; I seem to haveeven no pretext for such a request; yet there are sometimescircumstances that not only excuse, but imperiously demand extraordinarymeasures: perhaps mine, at this moment, are of that sort! perhaps I amat a loss what step to take, till I know to whom I address myself!'
'O Sir!' cried Ellis, holding up her hands in act of supplication, 'youwill be heard!'
Harleigh, conscious that he had been off all guard, silenced himselfimmediately, and walked hastily to the window.
Ellis knew not whether to retire, at once, to her own room; or toventure into that of Elinor; or to require any further answer. Thislast, however, Harleigh seemed in no state to give: he leant hisforehead upon his hand, and remained wrapt in thought.
Ellis, struck by a manner which shewed that he felt, and apparently,repented the possible meaning that his last words might convey, was nowas much ashamed for herself as for Elinor; and not wishing to meet hiseyes, glided softly back to her chamber.
Here, whatever might be the fulness of her mind, she was not allowed aninstant for reflection: Elinor followed her immediately.
She shut the door, and walked closely up to her. Elinor feared to beholdher; yet saw, by a glance, that her eyes were sparkling, and that herface was dressed in smiles. 'This is a glorious day for me!' she cried;''tis the pride of my life to have brought such a one into the historyof my existence!'
Ellis officiously got her a chair; arranged the fire; examined if thewindows were well closed; and sought any occupation, to postpone themoment of speaking to, or looking at her.
She was not offended; she did not appear to be hurried; she seemedenchanted with her own ideas; yet she had a strangeness in her mannerthat Ellis thought extremely alarming.
'Well,' she cried, when she had taken her seat, and saw that Ellis couldfind no further pretext for employing herself in the little apartment;'what garb do you bring me? How am I to be arrayed?'
Ellis begged to know what she meant.
'Is it a wedding-garment?' replied she, gaily; 'or ...' abruptlychanging her tone into a deep hoarse whisper, 'a shroud?'
Ellis, shuddering, durst not answer. Elinor, catching her hand said,'Don't be frightened! I am at this moment equal to whatever may be mydestiny: I am at a point of elevation, that makes my fate nearlyindifferent to me. Speak, therefore! but only to the fact. I haveneither time nor humour for narratory delays. I tried to hear you; butyou both talked so whisperingly, that I could not make out a sentence.'
'Indeed, Miss Joddrel,' said Ellis, trembling violently, 'Mr Harleigh'sregard--his affection--'
'Not a word of that trite class!' cried Elinor, with sudden severity,'if you would not again work all my passions into inflammation involveme no more in doubt! Fear nothing else. I am no where else vulnerable.Set aside, then, all childish calculations, of giving me an inch or twomore, or an inch or two less of pain,--and be brief and true!'
Ellis could not utter a word: every phrase she could suggest seemed toteem with danger; yet she felt that her silence could not but indicatethe truth which it sought to hide; she hung her head, and sighed indisturbed perplexity. Elinor looked at her for some time with anexamining eye, and then, hastily rising, emphatically exclaimed, 'Youare mute?--I see, then, my doom! And I shall meet it with glory!'
Smiles triumphant, but wild, now played about her face. 'Ellis,' shecried, 'go to your work, or whatever you were about, and take no mannerof heed of me. I have something of importance to arrange, and can brookno interruption.'
Ellis acquiesced, returning to the employment of her needle, for whichMrs Fenn took especial care that she should never lack materials.
Elinor spoke to her no more; but her ruminations, though undisturbed byher companion, were by no means quiet, or silent. She paced hastily upand down the room; sat, in turn, upon a chair, a window seat, and thebed; talked to herself, sometimes with a vehemence that made severaldetached words, though no sentences, intelligible; sometimes in softeraccents, and with eyes and gestures of exultation; and, frequently, shewent into a corner by the side of the window, where she looked, insecret, at something in a shagreen case that she held in her hand, andhad brought out of her chamber; and to which she occasionally addressedherself, with a fervency that shook her whole frame, and withexpressions which, though broken, and half pronounced, denoted that sheconsidered it as something sacred.
At length, with an air of transport, she exclaimed, 'Yes! that willproduce the best effect! what an idiot have I been to hesitate!' then,turning with quickness to Ellis: 'Ellis,' she cried, 'I have withheldfrom any questions relative to yourself, because I abominate allsubterfuge; but you will not suppose I am contented with my ignorance?You will not imagine it a matter of indifference to me, to know how Ihave failed?'
She reddened; passion took possession of every feature, and for a momentnearly choaked her voice: she again walked, with rapid motion, about theroom, and then ejaculated, 'Let me be patient! let me not take away allgrandeur from my despair, and reduce it to mere common madness!--Let mewait the fated moment, and then--let the truth burst, blaze, and flame,till it devour me!
'Ellis,' she presently added, 'find Harleigh; tell him I wish him a goodjourney from the summer-house in the garden. Not a soul ever enters itat this time of the year. Bid him go thither directly. I shall soon joinhim. I will wait in my room till you call me. Be quick!'
Ellis required not to have this order repeated: to place her under thecare of Harleigh, and intimate to him the excess of her love, with theapprehensions which she now herself conceived of the dangerous state ofher mind, was all that could be wished; and where so essential
a servicemight be rendered, or a mischief be prevented, personal punctilio wasout of the question.
He was not in the hall; but, from one of the windows, she perceived himwalking near the house. A painful sensation, upon being obliged again,to force herself upon his notice, disturbed, though she would not sufferit to check her. He was speaking with his groom. She stopt at thehall-door, with a view to catch his eye, and succeeded; but he bowedwithout approaching her, and continued to discourse with his groom.
To seem bent upon pursuing him, when he appeared himself to think thathe had gone too far, and even to mean to shun her, dyed her cheeks ofthe deepest vermilion; though she compelled herself, from a terrour ofthe danger of delay, to run across the gravel-walk before the house, toaddress him. He saw her advance, with extreme surprise, but by no meanswith the same air of pleasure, that he had manifested in the morning.His look was embarrassed, and he seemed unwilling to meet her eyes. Yethe awaited her with a respect that made his groom, unbidden, retire tosome distance; though to await her at all, when he might have met her,struck her, even in this hurried and terrified moment, as offering thestrongest confirmation which she had yet received, that it was not a manof pleasure or of gallantry, but of feeling and of truth, into whose wayshe was thus singularly and frequently cast: and the impression whichshe had made upon his mind, had never, to her hitherto nearly absorbedfaculties, appeared to be so serious or so sincere, as now, when hefirst evidently struggled to disguise a partiality, which he seemedpersuaded that he had, now, first betrayed. The sensations which thisdiscovery might produce in herself were unexamined: the misery withwhich it teemed for Elinor, and a desire to relieve his own delicacy, byappearing unconscious of his secret, predominated: and she assumedsufficient self-command, to deliver the message of Elinor, with a look,and in a voice, that seemed insensible and unobservant of every othersubject.
He soon, now, recovered his usual tone, and disengaged manner. 'She mustcertainly,' he said, 'be obeyed; though I so little expected such asummons, that I was giving directions for my departure.'
'Ah, no!' cried Ellis, 'rather again defer it.'
'You would have me again defer it?' he repeated, with a vivacity hetried still more, though vainly, to subdue than to disguise.
The word again did not make the cheeks of Ellis paler; but she answered,with eagerness, 'Yes, for the same purpose and same person!--I am forcedto speak explicitly--and abruptly. Indeed, Sir, you know not, youconceive not, the dreadfully alarming state of her nerves, nor theviolence of her attachment.--You could scarcely else--' she stopt, forhe changed colour and looked hurt: she saw he comprehended that shemeant to add, you could scarcely else resist her: she finished,therefore, her phrase, by 'scarcely else plan leaving her, till you sawher more composed, and more reconciled to herself, and to the world.'
'You may imagine,' said he, pensively, 'it is any thing rather than myinclination that carries me hence ... but I greatly fear 'tis the onlyprudent measure I can pursue.'
'You can best judge by seeing her,' said Ellis: 'her situation is trulydeplorable. Her faculties are all disordered; her very intellects, Ifear, are shaken; and there is no misfortune, no horrour, which herdesperation, if not softened, does not menace.'
Harleigh now seemed awakened to sudden alarm, and deep concern; andEllis painfully, with encreasing embarrassment, from encreasingconsciousness, added, 'You will do, I am sure, what is possible tosnatch her from despair!' and then returned to the house: satisfied thather meaning was perfectly comprehended, by the excess of consternationinto which it obviously cast Harleigh.