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Untitled Article
emotions which crowded together and oppressed her bquIj but abeira ~ swered in the language of that soul , by a slight and gentle pressure * £ 4 he hand which held Tier own , \ ~ * _ - _ * -- _ X
• ' As soon as Terence recovered his self-possession , he went on , ' Thf favour I have to ask of you , Mary—the favour that will lay mejun&er ¦ $ debt of everlasting gratitude , is that you will intercede with your fainer on my behalf . It would strike the death-blow to my hopes dt ojtice shduld I presume to speak , and with Ellen it is a point of delicacy to ^ tte siW" v - ; '
Such a catastrophe as this occurring ; to one so sympathising ' , so thoughtful for all others , that her own separate " entity * ' was absolutely forgotten by them , is no less perfectly natural than every-word and every emotion described is exquisitely aud d ^ ii ^ cately fine . No less so is her behaviour under the trial . The instant preception , the prompt self-command will be anticipated by all who can appreciate the character .
" The hand which Terence held became cold and motionless as marble , and Mary in another moment would have sunk upon the ground , but that the sudden reaction of her feelings brought a blush of burning' sh ~ upe into her ghastly cheeks—of shame , that she had not rightly interpreted tfw meaning of her friend—shame , that she might possibly have betrayed rtjU * stoange hallucination of her mind—and shame , that she had dared to dream of a felicity allotted to another . , .... .
* ' We do not—we cannot , in one moment arrive at a full conviction of the severity of the blow which has struck the root of our fondest hopes . There are innumerable functions of the mind that mtutt have timq ti > operate—to bring in their fuel to the fire of destruction , before we ( p know the extent of our calamity , and ere the crowning measura is added to our draught of bitterness , we often experience a power to act with
firmness and decision , which astonishes us on afterthought , when we retire into our own chambers , and call upon the very walls to pity us * .... " Mary woh fully capable of speaking-, if not of feeling , all which duty and strict propriety required in this moment of mysterious self-possession ; and she answered distinctly , ' What is it you ask of me , Terence ? . Tall me all , and 1 will do my best to serve you . '
Terence entered into a circumstantial detail of his transactions wi ^ h the gentlemen of the law , appealing to his mute companion ait the close , of every sentence to know whether she understood him . . , 44 4 Perfectly , ' was the uniform and prompt reply , until nothing f « xUl ? r remained to be explained ; when Terence placed the important letter , in Mary ' s hand , and led her to her father ' s door . 44 4
Mary 1 ' exclaimed Allan , when he met his sister with the lamp , in his hand , i Whet has happened to you ? ' r . 44 * Nothing / said Mary , shivering , 4 but the air is damp and cold * mifl we have ptaid too long by the river side . ' „/ 44 Allan was not satiened , yet , fearing to pursue the subject , ha e ^ ten ^ his hand to his sister , who , after pressing upon his forehead , fier fajrQWffft ki » 4 , retired in aiteace to her own chamber . '—Vol . i ,, p , 3 Q £ f 1 /
Untitled Article
Homey or , the Iron Rule . 489
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1836, page 489, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2660/page/29/
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