Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

156 ALFRED; OR ADVENTURES thought she had never appeared so beautiful before. The fact was, that he had not till then thought of examining her features with attention. Her hair was brown—her eyes were hazel—her mouth small—and her facial line was cast in a Grecian mould. Her figure slender and well-formed ; she had scarcely seen two and twenty summers——but her mind was even more accomplished and attractive than her person. ‘¢ And wherefore are you in such haste to leave us?” enquired Selina, after another pause, during which she endeavoured to com- pose herself so as once more to touch upon a subject that gave her pain. ‘¢ Urgent business, Miss Robson—” ‘‘Q it is always urgent business, or unexpected letters, that serve now-a-days for excuses,” interrupted Selina, with something bitter in the emphasis she laid upon her words, although a faint smile played upon her lips. ‘One no sooner becomes acquainted with people, than they run away.” ‘¢ Perhaps they occasionally do well,” said De Rosann, ‘‘ to leave in time, ere the good impression they have created, be obliterated or deadened by the faults a longer intercourse with them would expose to view.” ‘¢You either wish me to pay you a compliment, or—” ‘¢Or what?” ‘¢ Or to tell you to stay, at the risk of developing the dark side, as well as the bright side of your character.” ‘¢Could you think me capable of such inordinate vanity, Miss Robson?” cried Alfred, as he inadvertently laid his hand upon | herown. The touch was as momentary and as evanescent as the flap of a bird’s wing, or the reply of an echo to a single sound; but it brought a blush to Selina’s countenance—a blush that scarcely failed to meet the eye of De Rosann. He did not apologize—but affected to be unaware that his hand had instantaneously encoun- tered her’s—and he acted prudently ; for a solicitation of pardon would only have attached an importance to that which Selina should have regarded as a trifle. ‘<< No—I do not think that vanity is one of the faults you intend to conceal by so precipitate a departure,” said Selina, endeavouring to maintain a cheerful tone of voice by assuming a gaiety in her conversation. ; ‘¢ Then you are certain that I have faults.” ‘¢ Now I shall accuse you of vanity,’ returned Miss Robson. ‘But is it decided that you leave London the day after to-morrow ?” ‘‘Unalterably fixed: although others take advantage of the con- venient words ‘ urgent circumstances,’ ‘ matters of vital importance,’ et cetera, to serve as their apologists, I have no need of dissimula- tion, because your father is acquainted with the important nature of my affairs.” ‘© Papa is really too tiresome!” cried Miss Robson: ‘ he never tells us any thing. I dare say he knew three or four days ago, of your intended departure.” ‘¢ No—indeed he did not—let me do him that justice. It is true CONNIE OOOKS (E(@)