Ernest Maltravers, Book 1

ep on as vulture

*

shall robe t

ed stars b

Heaven a

t drops of a recent shower sparkled upon the buds of the lilac and laburnum that clustered round the cottage of Maltravers. The little fountain that p

s velvet the

k of violets, and slightly stirred the golden ringlets of Alice as she sate by the side of her entranced and silent lover. They were seated on a rustic bench just wit

been broken. But Alice, who was not a poet or a genius, /was/ thinking, and thinking only of Maltravers. . . . His image was "the broken mirror" multiplied in a thousand faithful fragments over everything fair and soft in that lovely microcosm before her. But they were both alike in one thing-they were not with the Future, they were sensible of the Present-the sense of the actual life, the enjoyment of the br

reverie, and drawing that light, childlike form ne

much

and w

you, and perhaps you are

ringlets, and kissed that smooth, innocent for

his light, Alice!" said

e less if I were

ved you in the same way if you ha

felt the same for you if yo

d palsied head, and a brown wig

look young-your heart would be always in your face. Th

I dare say, handsomer than I am, Alice; and I sha

ook so stern that I tremble; but then I think of you when you last smiled, and look up again, and though you are frowning still, you seem

talk eloquently, f

ever speak to you in anything else. I was so delighted to learn music, because when I played I seemed to be talking to you. I am sur

, and whose life was musi

eeks made Love a god. W

oets have said and sung. But it is a love of another nature-divine

s quiet welcome; and Alice, whose heart had not half vented its ful

rned, and the paper included the news of that familiar district in its comprehensive columns. It therefore satisfied Ernest's conscience and soothed his filial anxieties to read from time to time that "Mr. Maltravers was entertaining a distinguished party of friends at his noble mansion of Lisle Court;" or that "Mr. Maltravers's foxhounds had met on such a day at somet

LNESS OF MR

dnesday night with a severe spasmodic affection. Dr. --- was immediately sent for, who pronou

Maltravers, his eldest son and heir, is at Lisle Court. An express has been despatched in search of Mr. Ernest Maltravers, who, involved by his high English spirit in some dispute with

st threw himself back on the chair,

ied gaze. "Oh, Alice!" he cried, bitterly, and almost pushing her away, "if you c

ime, flew to the town for post-horses. The old woman was in despair about the laundress, for her fir

enty minutes, the chai

came into the room wh

n vain, to learn what had so sensibly affected Maltravers, for, as I said before, she was una

him. And then Alice flung herself on his breast. "Do not weep," said he; "Heaven knows I have sorrow enough of my own! My father

d thrown himself back to indulge his grief. A moment more, and even the vehicle that bore him away was gone. And before her were the flowers, and the starlit lawn, and the playful fountain, and the bench where