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Page 56
"Yes, quite. For a novelty, I have been collecting my thoughts". John
meant to speak in a gay, indifferent tone, and thought he had done so,
but this was a mistake.
Besides he had in fact a decidedly conscious look.
"If you have any momentous affair on hand, I advise you to wait, until
you reach _home_ before you decide upon it, my boy", said Mr. Somers,
with a light laugh, but a strong emphasis upon the word, home.
And he passed up-stairs, leaving John, standing bewildered in the
hall-door.
"Ah! Ned has discovered it all", said he to himself. But he was too
much occupied with other thoughts to be annoyed by it now.
Mr. Somers's last remark had turned the course of his meditations
somewhat. He began to question what opinion his parents might have in
regard to the sentiments he entertained towards Ad�le, and the plan
he had formed of endeavoring to secure her love. He knew, they
considered him as yet hardly out of boyhood. He had indeed, until
within a few weeks, looked upon himself in that light.
Not yet freed from college halls,--would they not think him foolish
and precipitate? Would they approve his choice?
But these queries and others of like character he disposed of
summarily and decisively. He felt that, no matter how recently he had
passed the limits of boyhood and become a man, it was no boy's passion
that now swayed his whole being, it seemed to him that, should he make
the effort, he could not expel it from his soul. But he did not wish
to make the effort. Ad�le was worthy the love of any man.
It had been his fortune to find a jewel, when he least expected it.
Why should he not avail himself of the golden opportunity and secure
the treasure? Would his parents approve his choice? Certainly, Ad�le
was "beautiful as the Houries and wise as Zobeide". Considerations of
policy and expediency, which sometimes appear on the mental horizon of
older people, were quite unknown to our young hero.
So he returned to the only aspect of the case that gave him real
disquiet. He had fears respecting Ad�le's sentiments towards himself,
and doubts of his ability to inspire in her a love equal to his own.
But he must be left for the present to adjust himself to his new
situation as best he can.
CHAPTER XXI.
TROUBLED HEARTS.
On the afternoon of the day following, Ad�le was sitting alone in the
parlor. She held a book in her hand, but evidently it did not much
interest her, as her eyes wandered continually from its pages and
rested, abstractedly, upon any object they happened to meet.
She felt lonely, and wondered why Mr. Lansdowne did not, as usual at
that hour, come to the parlor. She thought how vacant and sad her life
would be, after he and Mr. Somers had departed from Miramichi. She
queried whether she should ever meet them again; whether, indeed,
either of them, after a short time, would ever think of the
acquaintances they had formed here, except when recalled by some
accident of memory, or association. She feared they might wholly
forget all these scenes, fraught with so much interest and pleasure to
her, and that fear took possession of her heart and made her almost
miserable. She strove to turn her mind upon her favorite project of
returning with her parents, to France. But, notwithstanding her
efforts, her thoughts lingered around the departing gentlemen, and the
close of her acquaintance with them.
Suddenly she heard Mr. Lansdowne's step approaching the room.
Conscious that her heart was at this moment in her eyes, she hastily
threw the book upon the table. Taking her embroidery, she bent her
attention closely upon it, thus veiling the tell-tale orbs, with their
long dark lashes.
She looked up a moment, as he entered, to give him a nod of
recognition. A flash of lightning will reveal at once the whole
paraphernalia of a room, even to its remotest corners; or disclose the
scenery of an entire landscape, in its minutest details, each
previously wrapt by the darkness in perfect mystery; so, one single
glance of the eye may unveil and discover a profound secret, that has
hitherto never been indicated, by either word or motion. By that quick
glance, Ad�le saw Mr. Lansdowne's face, very pale with the struggle he
had just gone through, and a strange light glowing from his eyes, that
caused her to withdraw her own immediately.
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