"
"Where is Count L'Estrange?"
"I cannot tell."
"Where am I to see him?"
"I cannot say."
"Ha!" said Leoline, with infinite contempt, and turning her back
upon him she relapsed into gloomy silence. It had all been so
sudden, and had taken her so much by surprise, that she had not
had time to think of the consequences until now. But now they
came upon her with a rush, and with dismal distinctness; and most
distinct among all was, what would Sir Norman say! Of course,
with all a lover's impatience, he would be at his post by
sunrise, would come to look for his bride, and find himself sold!
By that time she would be far enough away, perhaps a melancholy
corpse (and at this dreary passage in her meditations, Leoline
sighed profoundly), and he would never know what had become of
her, or how much and how long she had loved him. And this
hateful Count L'Estrange, what did he intend to do with her?
Perhaps go so far as to make her marry him, and imprison her with
the rest of his wives; for Leoline was prepared to think the very
worst of the count, and had not the slightest doubt that he
already had a harem full of abducted wives, somewhere.
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