The revelation
of your immurement was made simultaneously to two men who called
themselves your lovers, and its sad necessity explained by your
ever-watchful guardian. One of these lovers repudiated your claims upon
him, and turned coldly from the idea of uniting his fate to that of one
who had even for an hour been a suspected lunatic; the other declared
himself willing to take her as she was to his arms, even though her own
were loaded with the chains of a mad-house! Penniless and abandoned by
all the world, and with a clouded name, he woos her as his wife--the
woman he adores!"
And, as he read, or seemed to read, these words, with scarce an accent
to mar their impetuous flow, Dr. Englehart drew in his breath with the
hissing sound of passion, and folded his arms tightly across his padded
breast, as if they enfolded the bride he was suing for in another's
name.
"And who, let me ask, is this Paladin of chivalry?" I inquired,
derisively. "Give me his name, that I may consider the subject well and
thoroughly before we meet at last."
"Excuse me if I refuse to give the name of eider of dese gentlemen at
dis onhappy season," he rejoined. "Wen de brain is all right
again"--tapping his own forehead--"your guardian will conduct the
faithful knight to kneel at de feet of her he loves so well."
"And the other--where is he?" fell involuntarily from my lips--my
heaving heart--an inquiry that I regretted as soon as it was uttered;
for, affecting sorrowful mystery, the man inclined himself toward me and
whispered in my ear confidentially:
"Plighted to another, and gone where no eyes of yours shall rest on him
again.
Pages:
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465