Sevendaysglidedaway, everyonemarkingitscoursebythehenceforthrapidalterationofEdgarLinton’; butherownquickspiritrefusedtodeludeher: itdivinedinsecret, andbroodedonthedreadfulprobability, , whenThursdaycameround; Imentioneditforher, andobtainedpermissiontoorderheroutofdoors: forthelibrary, whereherfatherstoppedashorttimedaily—thebriefperiodhecouldbeartositup—andhischamber, , , andmymastergladlydismissedhertowhatheflatteredhimselfwouldbeahappychangeofsceneandsociety; drawingcomfortfromthehopethatshewouldnotnowbeleftentirelyaloneafterhisdeath.
Hehadafixedidea, Iguessedbyseveralobservationsheletfall, that, ashisnephewresembledhiminperson, hewouldresemblehiminmind; forLinton’, throughpardonableweakness, refrainedfromcorrectingtheerror; askingmyselfwhatgoodtherewouldbeindisturbinghislastmomentswithinformationthathehadneitherpowernoropportunitytoturntoaccount.
Wedeferredourexcursiontilltheafternoon; agoldenafternoonofAugust: everybreathfromthehillssofulloflife, thatitseemedwhoeverrespiredit, thoughdying, ’sfacewasjustlikethelandscape—shadowsandsunshineflittingoveritinrapidsuccession; buttheshadowsrestedlonger, andthesunshinewasmoretransient; andherpoorlittleheartreproacheditselfforeventhatpassingforgetfulnessofitscares.
, andtoldmethat, asshewasresolvedtostayaverylittlewhile, Ihadbetterholdtheponyandremainonhorseback; butIdissented: Iwouldn’trisklosingsightofthechargecommittedtomeaminute; : nottheanimationofhighspiritsthough, noryetofjoy; itlookedmorelikefear.
