Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 331: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, must know how deeply [ am sensible of the immense obligations 2 “Yes, Winifred,” said Roderick Dalham, gazing upon her countenance with that scarcely explicable degree of interest which has both sadness and pleasure mingled with its admiration. ‘“‘ know that you possess a grateful heart: but still, Wini- fred, you must have thought my last proceeding so very, very strange towards you—your pride may have been wounded—your feelings may have been outraged 2 “ Oh, my pride!’ exclaimed Winifred: “what pride have I that can be wounded?—and as for my feelings, what feelings do I possess which have not already been dragged through the most scath- ing, withering, crushing ordeal ?” * There, Winifred! you are offended with me!” exclaimed Roderick Dalham, looking distressed. “You speak with exceeding bitterness; and it cuts me to the very soul to hear this language flow from your lips—or to behold those lips wreath otherwise than in sweet smiles!” “Oh, Mr. Dalham!” cried Winifred, with a countenance which denoted a distress that was eyen far more poignant than his own; “ pardon me—forgive me—I beseech you!” and she clasped her hands entreatingly. ‘“‘ What! I have spoken bitterly to you/—to you, my dearest and best friend! Oh! God forgive me for so much wicked- ness |” She sobbed audibly : she seemed as if she should sink down overwhelmed by the sudden paroxysm of grief which had seized upon her. “ Winifred, dearest girl—for heaven’s sake com- pose yourself,” said Roderick Dalham, taking both her hands and pressing them in hisown: “I did not wish to accuse you—I did not mean it! No, no, my sweet girl! I know how terribly you have been tried in so many, many different ways = * And you do not believe, Mr. Dalham,” said Winifred, looking up earnestly and entreatingly into his countenance, while the heaven of her eyes was seen through the shower of her weeping,— “snd you do not believe that I am capable of in- gratitude towards you?” “ [ would sooner believe in the veriest impossi- bility,” replied Roderick Dalham, with the strongest emphasis, “ than entertain such an opinion of you, dear Winifred! You know that I love you,” he went on to say, as his voice sank to a lower and more tender tone: “yes—you know that I love you— you know that the feeling of interest which I first experienced in your behalf gradually deepened into a sentiment of tenderness,—and by heaven, Winifred: though upwards of two long months have elapsed since last [ saw you—and though during this time I have not sought you, but rather on the contrary have avoided the chance of en- countering you,—yet has my love deepened, and during that interval your image has become all the more profoundly impressed upon my mind. But Ob! I ought not to be speaking thus !—for it was in order to avoid such a scene as this that I , have for upwards of two months kept myself as if utterly estranged !” * And I, Mr. Dalham,’ murmured Winifred, with eyes bashfully downcast, “‘should have thought that you were offended with me for some reason or snother—only that every now and then I learat from Mr. Wardour that you had called at his office to make inquiries concerning me—that, as usual, you had spoken in the kindest and moat friendly terms and therefore, Mr. Dalham— therefore I knew—or at least I thought and flat- tered myself,’ proceeded Winifred falteringly and hesitatingly, “‘ that you could not be offended with me!” *‘ Offended with you, Winifred? Good heavens! how was this possible?” exclaimed Roderick Dal- ham. “If any offence were to be taken, it was you who had so much reason to be offended with me !” “‘ Never, never !”’ cried Winifred emphatically. “T knew that you must have had some good reason for not keeping the appointment which I gave you,” she continuec; “ and that was sufficient for me. But evenif I had thought—which was indeed impossible—but even if I dad thought, I say, that you were at all slighting me at the time, I could not have been offended, Good heavens, no!—for ever present in my mind is the immensity of the good which you have done me!” “Generous girl that you are thus to speak !” exclaimed Dalham, taking her hand and pressing it with effusion. “‘ But I owe you some little ex- planation—and I beseech you to let me give it.” * Not unless you think fit, Mr. Dalham,” an- swered Winifred ; “ for where no offence has been taken, no explanation need be given. And do you for a moment think that I should seek to exact any explanation from your lips when all your con- duct towards me has been so noble and so mag- naniwous in great things, that it were impossible to prove otherwise in small things!” “Still let me give you this explanation, Wini- fred,” said Mr. Dalham. “ Take my arm—we will walk slowly onward, for we may be observed standing here together, and it would seem strange that we should linger so long in conversation on a day of-such bitter inclemeney as this.” The young maiden took Roderick Dalham’s arm; and they walked skowly along together. There was a silence for two or three minutes: but it was at length broken by the gentleman himself. * Excuse me, Winifred,” he said, “if in what I am about to say there may be some slight refer- ence to past incidents. It is upwards of three months, Winifred, since I called upon you at your lodgings 18 * Yes,” she murmured: “it was on the sixth of November—the day after the trial !” * And on that day,” resumed Roderick Dalham, “TI offered you my hand—lI declared that I loved you—lI proposed that we should wed in secret, so that neither my father nor your grandsire should become acquainted with this alliance. And you refused !—and at the same time you confessed that you loved your cousin Gustavus.” Winifred heaved a profound sigh ; and as she leant upon Mr. Dalbam’s arm, he felt her bosom swell against 16 with that convulsing emotion. “Pardon me, Winifred,’ he hastened to say, “for alluding to things that are calculated to excite affliction and distress . “On this score, Mr. Daiham,” interrupted Winifred, “I require not your sympathy—I need it not—Oh! belhleve me, I need it not! If the nams of Gustavus excite an emotion within me, it is not because I am afflicted on my own Comiclooolks