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Show 78 RICHARD HURDJS. 110 dared not crave open and mn.nly ttt.oncmcnt. Now, I know tlw.t Richard is no robber; and we both know him too well to tllink that he would assassinate, without wnrning, the enemy whom he had not the courage to figl1t. Cowmdicc is not his character any more than disllDncsty; and yet it were base cowardice if he assaulted you this day witlLOnt due warning." 'l'hc cool, deliberate survey which :Uary ]~n sterby took of the subjcrt, utterly confounded l1Cr companion. lie was unprep:ncd for tllis form of the discussion. 'l'o elwell longer upon it was 110t l1is policy; yet, to turn from it in anger and impatience wns to prC'judicc his own cause and temper, in tl1C estimation of one so considcrntc and acute as M:ny had shown herself to be. Passing his hand OYer his face, he rose from his scat, paced the room :-lowly twice or thrice, nud then returned to l1is place with a conutenancc OHCC more calm aud unrnfHed, and with a smile 11pon his lips as gently winning as if they l1ad ncYer worn any other expression. Tile rettdiness of this transition was agajn unf:'1YOrable to his object. Mary ]~ n sterhy wns a womnn of earnf>st character-not liable to kt sty changes of mood l•e•·· self, aml still less capaLle of those sudden tmns of look and mnnncr which denote strong transitions of it. She looked dis· tru stfully upon them accordingly, when they were visible in othrrs. "You a~e ri_ght, :Uary !" said the tempter, Hllproachiug her, :m:l. spcakm_g Ill tones in wlJicl1 an amiable and self accusing sp1nt seen1cd to mingle with one of wooing solicitation. ''You nrc right, Mary; there was an immediate provocation of which I had not spoken, and which I remember occasioned Uicktrd's violence. lie spoke to me in a manner whicl1 I thougl•t in· solently free, and I replied to him in sarcastic language. lie retorted in terms which led me to utter a threat which it did 110t bcc~mc me to. utter, anJ which, l doubt not, was quite too pro· vokmg for hun to bear with composure. Thence came his vi?lencc. ~ ou were rigl1t, I think, in supposing his violence w1thout. dcs1gn . I d~ not think it myself; and, thougl•, HS I lwve_ sa ul, I regard ll1chard's COHduct toward me as ungracious and mcxcusablc, I am yet but too conscious of unkind fceliw•s toward him to desire to prolong this conversation. T!Jerc is another topic, Mary, which is far more grateful to me-will GOOD AND J<:;VJL SPJRlTS. 79 yon suffer me to np<'ak on that 1 You l1avc heard my dcclara· tion. llovr you, ]\l"ary \ I have long loved you! 1 feel that I tnn 110t cease to love, and can not be happy without you! rrurn not from me, il[ary! hear me, .I pra.y you! be indulgent, an(llJN\1" me!" "I should not do justice to your good rcg:trds, Jol1n, nor to our long intimacy, if I Uesircd to }Lear you farther on this sub~ ject \ l:'orgi,·c JHe-l ea~·e me now-let me retire!" She arose as if to depart. He caught her hand nnd led her back to the scat from" lLich she had arisen. lt wns now tl1at he trcmLled-trcmLlcd more than ever, as he bclLeld her so li ttle lllO\'Cd. "You arc co1tl, l\l"nry! you dislike-you hate me!" he stam· mcred fortl1, nhnost convulsh·cly. "No, Jolm, you arc wrong. I neither hate nor dislike youj and you know it. On the contrary, 1 l1nvc mucl1 respect for you, as well Oil your own nccount as on that of your fnmily." "l'amily! respect! Oh, Mary, choose so1nC other words! Oan not yon hca1· me speak of warmer fecliHgs-c1oscr tics1 'Viii you not heed me when I say that I lovc1-when I prny you to ncccpt-to lO\'C me in return 1" "It must not be,.John! '.l'o love yon as a husband should be loved-as a wife should love-wholly, singly, exclusively, so thnt ono should leave father, mother, nml all other tics only for that one-! cn11 not! J should. speak a base untruth, John, were I to f;ay so \ It gives me pain to tell you this, sir ! it gives pain- but better that Loth of us should sutl'cr the present aml momentnry anguish which comes from defrauded expectn· tions, than risk the permanent sorrow of a long lifo, passed in the exercise of falsehood! I mn grateful for your love, John! for the favor with which you distinguish me; Lut I cnn not give yon mine. I can not reply as you would wish me." "~fnry, you love another!" "I kuow not, John! I would 110t know! I prny tl1at you would not striYc to force tl1c reflection upon me!" "You mistake Uichard llurclis, if you tldnk that he loves you, Mary. lie docs not; you can have no hope of him." The coarse, base speech of the selfisl1 man was well answered by the calm and qniet tone of the maiden. |
