For Woman's Love Part- 2, Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth [reading list .TXT] 📗

Violet,

The Evening Would Have Passed Very Gloomily; But She,  Who Knew Nothing

Of The Domestic Tempest That Had Driven Cora From Home,  Nor Even Of The

Impending Separation In The Morning,  And Who Heartily Enjoyed The

Presence Of Her Two Favorite Relatives In The House,  Kept The Party

Enlivened By Her Own Good Spirits And Gay Talk.

 

Once During The Evening Clarence And Cora Found Themselves Far Enough

Off From Their Friends For A Short Tete-A-Tete,  In Which There Was A

Brief But Perfect Explanation Between Them.

 

Then Clarence Announced His Intention Of Escorting Her To Washington And

Seeing Her Safe Under The Protection Of The Nevilles.

 

Cora Strongly Opposed This Plan,  On The Ground That His Escort Was

Unnecessary And Might Be Deeply Offensive To Mr. Rockharrt.

 

But Clarence Was Firm.

 

"You May Turn Your Back On Me,  Cora. You May Refuse To Speak To Me

During The Whole Journey. But You Cannot Prevent Me From Going On The

Same Train With You,  And So Becoming Your Guardian On The Journey," Said

Clarence.

 

Cora's Answer To This Was Prevented By The Approach Of Violet,  Who Said:

 

"Clarence,  It Is Half Past Eleven O'clock,  And Cora Looks Tired To

Death. Your Room Is Ready Whenever You Would Like To Retire."

 

Acting Upon This Very Broad Hint,  Mr. Clarence Laughed,  Kissed His Niece

Good Night,  Shook Hands With His Sister-In-Law,  And Left The Room,

Preceded By Mr. Fabian,  Who Offered To Show Him To His Chamber. Violet

Conducted Cora To The Room Prepared For Her,  And,  With A Warm Embrace,

Left Her To Repose For The Last Time In That House.

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After Her Exciting And Fatiguing Day,  Corona Slept Long And Heavily,  And

When She Reached The Family Sitting Room She Found Her Two Uncles There

In Conversation.

 

"I Am Sorry I Kept You Waiting,  Uncle Fabian," She Said,  Hurriedly.

 

"You Have Not Done So,  My Dear. The Bell Has Not Yet Rung."

 

"Then I'm Glad. Good Morning,  Clarence," She Said,  Turning To Her

Younger Uncle.

 

"Good Morning,  Cora. How Did You Sleep?"

 

"Perfectly,  Clarence Dear. I Hope You Will Set Out For North End

Immediately After Breakfast. I Shall Not Start For Washington Until

To-Night. I Shall Spend The Day Here,  So That After Telling Violet Of My

Intended Journey I May Have Some Little Time To Reconcile Her To It."

 

"How Good You Are,  Cora. I Do Appreciate This Consideration For Violet,"

Said Mr. Fabian Earnestly.

 

"It Is Only Her Due,  Uncle. Well,  Clarence,  Since You Are Determined To

Escort Me To Washington,  Whether Or Not,  You May Meet Me At The Depot

For The 6:30 Express. I Feel That It Is Every Way Better That I Should

Go By The Night Train; Better For Violet,  With Whom I Can Thus Spend A

Few More Hours,  And Better For Clarence,  Who Need Not By This

Arrangement Lose This Day's Work."

 

"Quite So," Assented Mr. Fabian. "And Now," He Added,  As Light Footsteps

Were Heard Approaching The Room,  "Here Comes Violet. Not A Word About

The Journey Until After Breakfast."

 

They All Went Into The Breakfast Room,  Where A Fragrant,  Appetizing

Morning Meal Was Spread.

 

How Different This Was From The Breakfast At Rockhold On The

Preceding-Day,  Darkened By The Sullen Wrath Of The Iron King And Eaten

In The Most Gloomy Silence! Here Were Affectionate Attentions And Jests

And Laughter. Violet Was In Such Gay Spirits That Her Vivacity Became

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Contagious,  And Fabian And Clarence Often Laughed Aloud,  And Corona Was

Won To Smile At Her Sallies.

 

At Last Mr. Fabian Arose With A Sigh,  Half Of Satisfied Appetite,  Half

Of Reluctance To Leave The Scene,  And Said:

 

"Well,  I Suppose We Must Be Moving. Clarence,  Will You Drive With Me To

North End?"

 

"Certainly. That Is All Arranged,  You Know," Replied The Younger

Brother.

 

"Mr. Fabian Walked Out Into The Hall,  Saying As He Left The Breakfast

Room:

 

"Corona,  A Word With You,  My Dear."

 

Corona Went To Him,  And He Said:

 

"After You Have Had An Explanation With Violet,  Persuade Her To

Accompany You To North End. You Had Better Come In Your Own Pony

Carriage,  My Dear; It Is So Easy And The Horse So Safe. And Then,  After

You Have Left Us,  I Can Drive Her Home In The Same Vehicle. And,  By The

Way,  My Dear,  What Shall You Do With That Little Turnout? Shall I Send

It To Hyde's Livery Stable For Sale? You Can Get Double What Was Given

For It. And Remit You The Price?"

 

"No,  Uncle Fabian; It Is Not To Be Sold. And I Am Glad You Reminded Me

Of It. I Have Intended All Along To Give It To Our Minister's Wife. She

Has No Carriage Of Any Sort,  And She Really Needs One,  And She Will

Enjoy This Because She Can Drive The Pony Herself. So,  After I Have

Gone,  Will You Please Send It To Mrs. Melville,  With My Love?"

 

"Certainly,  My Dear; With The Greatest Pleasure. Cora,  That Is Well

Thought Of. Now I Must Go Up To The Nursery And Bid Good-By To Baby,  Or

Her Mother Would Never Forgive Me."

 

And High And Heavy Mr. Fabian Tripped Up The Stairs Like A Lamplighter.

 

Corona Lingered In The Hall,  Talking With Mr. Clarence,  Who Had Now Come

There To Put On His Overcoat. Presently Mr. Fabian Came Hurrying Down

Stairs Alone. He Had Left Violet In The Sanctuary.

 

"Come,  Come,  Clarence,  Hurry Up! We Are Late! What If The Monarch Should

Reach The Works Before Us? I Shouldn't Like To Meet Him In His Roused

Wrath! Should You?

 

    "Old Age Ne'er Cooled The Douglass Blood!"

 

Said Mr. Fabian,  Hurriedly Pulling On His Overcoat,  Seizing Hat And

Gloves,  And With A Hasty--

 

"Good-By,  Cora,  Until To-Night," Hurried Out Of The Front Door.

 

He Need Not Have Been In Such Haste--The Iron King Was Not Destined To

Reach North End In Advance Of His Sons That Morning.

 

Mr. Clarence Kissed Corona Good-By,  And Hurried After His Elder Brother,

And Then Stopped Short At What He Saw.

 

Mr. Fabian Was Standing Before The Carriage Door With One Foot On The

Step.

 

Beside Him Was A Horseman Who Had Just Ridden Up--The Horse In A Lather

Of Foam,  The Man Breathless And Dazed--Telling Some News In Broken

Sentences; Mr. Fabian Listening Pallid And Aghast.

 

"Great Heaven! How Sudden! How Shocking!" He Exclaimed At Last,  Turning

Back Toward The House,  And Hurrying Up The Steps.

 

"What Is It? What Is The Matter? What Has Happened,  Fabian?" Anxiously

Demanded Clarence.

 

"The Father Has Had A Stroke! No Time For Particulars Now! Take The

Fastest Horse In The Stable And Go Yourself To North End To Fetch The

Doctor. You Can Bring Him Sooner Than Any Servant. I Must Go Directly On

To Rockhold. Cora Must Delay Her Journey Again. Be Off,  Clarence!" Said

Mr. Fabian.

 

And While The Elder Brother Returned To The House,  The Younger Went To

Get His Horse.

 

"Cora!" Called Mr. Fabian.

 

Corona Came Out Of The Parlor.

 

"You Cannot Go Away To-Day."

 

"Why?" Inquired The Young Lady.

 

"Don't Talk! Listen! Your Grandfather Is Ill--Very Ill. Old John Has

Just Come From Rockhold To Tell Me."

 

"Oh! I Am Very Sorry."

 

"No Time For Words! Go Put On Your Bonnet,  And Come Along With Me; The

Carriage That Was To Have Taken Me To North End Must Take Us Both To

Rockhold. Hurry,  Cora."

 

"But Violet?"

 

"I Will Go And Tell Violet That The Grandfather Is Not Feeling Very

Well,  And Has Sent For You. I Can Do This While You Are Getting Ready To

Go. Then Come Into The Nursery And Bid Violet Good-By."

 

Corona Hurried Up To Her Room,  And Quickly Put On Her Bonnet And

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Fur-Lined Cloak,  And Then Ran Into The Nursery,  Where She Found Violet

Nursing Her Baby,  Looking Serious But Composed,  And Evidently

Unconscious Of Old Aaron Rockharrt's Danger. Mr. Fabian Was Standing At

The Back Of Her Chair,  So That She Might Not Read The Truth In His Face.

 

"So You Are Going Home So Suddenly,  Cora,  Dear? I Am So Sorry The Father

Is Not Feeling Well That I Cannot Even Ask You To Stay Here A Moment

Longer. Give My Love To The Father,  And Tell Him If He Does Not Get

Better In A Day Or Two I Shall Be Sure To Come And Nurse Him."

 

She Could Not Rise Without Disturbing Her Precious Baby,  But She Raised

Her Head And Put Up Her Lips,  That Cora Might Kiss Her Good-By. Then

Cora Followed Her Uncle Down Stairs,  And In Five Minutes More They Were

Seated In The Carriage,  Slowly Winding Their Way Down The Dangerous

Mountain Pass To The River Road That Led To Rockhold.

 

"Uncle Fabian," Said Corona,  Gravely,  "I Have Been Trying To Think What

Is Right For Me To Do. This Sorrowful News Took Me So Completely By

Surprise,  And Your Directions Were So Prompt And Peremptory,  That I Had

Not A Moment For Reflection; So That I Followed Your Lead Automatically.

But Now,  Uncle Fabian,  I Have Considered,  And I Ask You As I Have Asked

Myself--Am I Right In Going Back To Rockhold,  After My Grandfather Has

Sent Me Away,  And Forbidden Me Ever To Return? Tell Me,  Uncle Fabian."

 

"My Dear,  What Do You Yourself Wish To Do?" He Inquired.

 

"To Return To Rockhold And Nurse My Grandfather,  If He Will Allow Me To

Do So."

 

"Then By All Means Do So."

 

"But,  Uncle Fabian--Against My Grandfather's Express Command?"

 

"Good Heaven,  Girl!" Those 'Commands' Were Issued By A Well And Angry

Man. You Are Returning To Minister To An Ill And Perhaps A Dying One."

 

"Still,  Uncle Fabian,  Would It Not Seem To Be Taking Advantage Of My

Grandfather's Helpless State To Return Now,  After He Had Forbidden Me To

Enter His House? I Think It Would. And The More I Reflect Upon The

Subject,  The Surer I Feel That I Ought Not To Enter Rockhold Unbidden.

And--I Will Not."

 

"You Will Not! What! Can You Show Resentment To Your Stricken--It May Be

Dying--Grandfather?"

 

"Heaven Forbid! But I Must Not Disobey His Injunction,  Now That He Is

Too Helpless To Prevent Me. No,  Uncle Fabian,  I Must Not Enter The

House. But Neither Will I Be Far From It. I Will Remain Within Call."

 

"Where?"

 

"At The Ferryman's Cottage. Will You,  Uncle Fabian,  As Soon As You Have

An Opportunity,  Say That I Am Deeply Grieved For All That Has Estranged

Us. Will You Ask Him To Forgive