"He seems a gentlemanly person enough, but may be an impostor for aught
I know. The young lady he was engaged to, Gregory tells me, perished in
the Kosciusko, which proves a relief, after all, as it is rumored he has
a wife in Europe. But such gossip can hardly interest you very vividly.
The man has gone to California, and will probably return no more.
"Did you, or did you not, meet this person at Colonel La Vigne's?
Favraud hinted something of the kind when he was here; but I can get no
satisfaction from Gregory.
"They all believe you were drowned in Georgia, and I thought it best for
the present not to undeceive Favraud, who laments your fate.
"The surprise will be all the more pleasant; and, of course, every thing
will be explained to the satisfaction of friends when you appear
publicly as the wife of Luke Gregory--'long secretly married!' You see,
it will be necessary to go back a little to save appearances, on account
of Ernie!"
The miscreant! I understood him now--oh, my God, for strength to tear
his cowardly heart from his truculent body! But no; let there be no
further unavailing anger. In God's good time all should recoil on his
own head. For the present, I must bear, and make myself insensible, if
possible; and yet, I would not willingly have had the living greenness
of my spirit turned to stone, as we are told branches are in some
strange, foreign rivers--crystal-cold!
Another extract, the closing one, and then forever away with Basil
Bainrothe and his flimsy letters:
"Again, I must congratulate you on the subdued and humbled temper you
manifest.
Pages:
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534