"
"But you would be quite alone!"
"I am quite alone as it is."
"And would your father consent?"
"I think he would. I am a burthen to them now. They cannot feel my
grief, nor comfort it, and they don't like the sight of it, though I
am sure I trouble them with it as little as possible."
"Dear Cecil!" and the ready tears welled up in Rosamond's gray eyes.
"I don't want to talk of it," said Cecil. "If I felt worthy to
grieve it would be less dreadful; but it all seems like hypocrisy.
Rosamond, if you were to lose Julius to-morrow, you would not be as
unhappy as I am."
"Don't, don't!" cried Rosamond, making a gesture of horror. "But
does not coming here make it worse?"
"No, real stabs are better than dull aching; and then you--you,
Rosamond, did know how it really was, and that I would--I would--"
Cecil wept now as Rosamond had longed to see her weep when she had
left Compton, and Rosamond spoke from her tender heart of comfort;
but the outburst did not last long, and Cecil said, recovering
herself--
"After all, my most peaceful times of late have been in walking
about in those woods at Sirenwood; I should like to live there.
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