Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERY OF 8T, MARK’sS ABBEY. 133 extoré from me, and which would consign me to everlasting misery ? Oh, Clif- ford, why did we ever meet, since fate commands that we must not think upon each other, and yet to think of you, forms the chief delight of my existence, deprived of which, life would become a barthen too heavy for me to bear. But shall I disobey the spirit of my mother? Am I not commanded by her to take those vows which will make you, dear Clifford, and myself no more than strangers ?—Oh, horror! let me not think upon it;—my brain is racked to madness |” | She threw herself back on the bed, covered her face with her hands, and scalding tears came to her relief. In this manner she remained for several minutes, and during that interval nothing occurred to disturb the silence which reigned in the room, and indeed throughout the whole abbey. At length, surprised and alarmed at her situation, she started from. the couch, thinking to find herself a prisoner, but much to her relief and astonishment the door was standing wide open, and nothing appeared to obstruct her egress from the abbey. While Angelina thus stood, and contemplated with eager eyes everything in the room, the awful events that had occurred to her when she was before there, came to her recollection, and smote her heart with terror. It was here she had before seen the phantom which had recently appeared to her; it was there she was aroused from sleep, to behold her spirit standing over her, and gazing at her with looks of solemn and intense affection. She looked towards that side of the apartment, where, on that occasion, the spectre had seemed to vanish, and beheld traced upon the wainscot the following words :— “ Angelina, depart ;—~remember the injunctions of thy mother’s shade, and when next we meet, learn to obey.— Kare.” With trembling steps Angelina quitted the room, and afler some difficulty in finding her way, gained the exterior of the abbey ruins. The agitation of her mird we shall net seek to describe, for after the exciting events that had occurred, an idea of it may be very easily formed. She had not proceeded any great distance from the abbey, when looking up, she beheld her uncle hastening towards her. She rushed forward, and throwing her head upon his shoulder, the power of her emotions overcame her, and she burst into tears. ** Nay, my love,” said Mr. Woodfield, kindly, ‘‘calm your agitated fealings, I pray. I know all that has befallen you,—Kate has been to me, and made me acquainted with everything, but for tke present, endeavour to banish the subject from your thoughts, and let us make the best of owe way towards home.” | ‘Oh, my dear uncle, if such indeed you are,” sobbed our heroine, as be took her arm and led her away, at the same time she looked imploringly in his face, ‘* why keep me in this painful state of mystery and ignorance ?— why withhold from me who ere my actual parents, what their fate, and your motives for concealing it so long from my knowledge ? Surely it is cruel to torture me thus.”’ ‘© Angelina,’ answered Mr. Woodfield, emphatically, and he seemed violently agitated, “as you love me, pursue this subject no further for me present; I cannot, must not answer your cuestions.” “Am I then the child of shame, that you fear to mention the names of those to whom I am indebted for being ?”? demanded Angelina, while a blush of COL @ OO SS (CO)