Alfred de Rosann — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

‘ ALFRED DE ROSANN. 105 “I hope not,” said Mr. Clayton. “But, methinks, that. the harp and the piano have been sadly neglected lately.”? “Jt is nearly a year since I touched either,’’ mur- mured Eloise with a sigh. ‘Once I was devoted to music, as I was attached to. drawing: but lately, the song has been neglected as much as the pencil—and sorrow and grief, and meditation, have occupied the time they usually employed.” These last words were said in a whisper; but Mrs. Clayton marked the cloud on her daughter’s brow, and the tear in her eye, and hastened to change the con- versation. Mr. Clayton was, however, obstinate; his mind could not be diverted from the topic that sud- denly interested it; a sort of whim, or caprice, re- mained to be gratified; and-he was not to be beaten off his track by the subterfuges of his sister-in-law, who vainly endeavoured to persuade him to continue La Siége de la Rochelle—one of Madame de Genlis’ novels—which he was reading. ‘‘T am in no humour to waste my time over a silly romance,’ cried Mr. Clayton. ‘ It seems as if a year had made a sad difference in our little pleasures and amusements. Eloise, my love—do you think that you can recollect one of those sweet songs—’’ - How obstinate you are, William!” interrupted Mrs. Clayton: “ you are perfectly aware that I de- sired Eloise to assist me in this embroidery—and you still persist in attracting her attention to other matters.”’ ‘¢ Bloise can very well devote an hour to her uncle,’ said Mr. Clayton, with an appealing glance to his beautiful niece. “If you wish me to sing La Portrazt Charmant, or my old English ballad of the ‘ Knights of Pales- tine’-—which is so very long and so tedious—my dear uncle, I will gladly oblige you: but perhaps mamma is adverse to music this afternoon.” “ On the contrary, my dear child,’”’ exclaimed Mrs. Clayton: “nothing would delight me more than to EOPNICLOO© S Oli