Mabel, Vol. II (of 3)

e foe is on

ertain, an

and silently, follow

is lame,

ête, when Hargrave himself entered. He seemed entirely to have lost the gaiety of the evening before, and to have assumed the gravity of a judge. To Mrs. Villars' enquiries of whether he had slept well, he answered courteously, but gravely; and Caroline afterwards observed to Selina, that the dear creature was quite different when alone with her, and Selina, in return, lispingly suggested, that he might

eive your letters?" h

e you expecting any? for, if so, yo

lied, not notici

n began to be heard uncertainly, then louder and louder

Lucy; "I wonder if there

Mr. Ware; the one addressed to Mrs. Villars, contained a brief, but touching account of the fir

death, a loud shriek burst from Lucy, as she rose and flew to her own room. Hargrave followed her to the door

o much feeling-but, colonel, only think of my sister being at Aston Manor; but, perhaps, I ou

ps, you will be kind enough to assure her on that point, if she has any doubt. I wil

your lost houses with admira

"I am not indifferent to the death of our poor cousin-the rest can be repaired-but I take it with apparen

ery one; "and why d

sively; "and it is hardly likely that I should lon

tered upon a discussion on the prettiest mourning dresses which the fashion afforded. His better feelings alarmed, he scarcely knew why, by t

ear

under their present affliction, rather than intrude myself upon their attention, just now; at the same time, if I came to you, they might think they were putting me to inconvenience. But we shal

rchitect; who, if able, shall go down to Aston immediately, with powers to construct a sufficient number of commodious tiled cottages-at the same t

to Miss Ware, and the hope

dear

ttached

y Har

gony of remorse, for her feelings, though seldom deep, were impetuous, and easily moved by circumstances. She remembered Clair's entreaty, that she would not go to the ball, with tenfold bitterness, as she now reflected that, at the moment when she had been rejoicing in unbounded spirits,

leave her alone till she should recover herself; but Lucy, who appeared to have little pleasure in their comfort, no sooner found herself a

subdued, she sat crouching over the fire in their litt

r than your charming partner of last night, Mr. Beauclerc, who is making himself so agreeable, listening

hout raising her head; "but

how disappointed he will b

n any way you like-I cannot and will not co

never stay up-stairs when

would do, if you had been

titude; and leaving the room, she went to tell her mother, who, though much disappointed, was forced to make Lucy's grief as becoming and touching as possible, in the eyes of the

ed in the drawing-room, her eyes swollen with weeping, and her cheeks pale and discolored, he met her with a kind look, which her most sparkling moments, perhaps, would not have excited. He g

id, knowing that it would be of little purpose to try

int reply, follow

tle sharply, "you should not give wa

soft answer," and was too spi

fellow-voyager of mine, a Captain Clair-he said

ringly, "I did meet him;

m?" he pursued, anxi

ing blush kindled brighter and deeper on her pale c

ully conscious of her increasing color, she rose abruptly, and turning on him, for a moment

ently behind her, that glance seemed to follow her, not simply inquisitive, but c

th Clair's eyes-if he pities, he despises me, as the girl who was only used as the cloak to more honorable attentions to Mabel. I cannot endure this-anything but to be both neglected and despised. There is one, at least," she added, to herself, proudly, "who appreciates me-but this time I will keep

urned from the disappointing mirror, which had, only a few hours before,

sive pity with which she imagined Hargrave regarded her; and this resolution was