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Page 58
But it is hard for hope to forsake the young. It can never wholly
leave any soul, except by a slow process of bitter disappointment.
John saw that he had made a mistake. The strength and tumult of his
passion for Ad�le had led him thoughtlessly into what probably
appeared to her, an attempt to storm the citadel of her heart, and in
her pride, she had repulsed him.
He bethought him that there were gentler modes of reaching that seat
of life and love. He became a tactician. He resolved he would, by his
future conduct, perhaps by some chance word, indicate to Ad�le that he
understood her repulse and did not intend to repeat his offence. He
would not hereafter seek her presence unduly, but when they were
thrown together, would show himself merely gentle and brotherly. And
then,--he would trust to time, to circumstances, to his lucky star, to
bring her to his side.
In the mean time, after her tears had subsided, Ad�le found, somewhat
to her surprise, that this sudden disturbance of her usual equilibrium
came from the very deep interest she felt for Mr. Lansdowne. And,
moreover, she was annoyed to find it so, and did not at all like to
own it to herself. Naturally proud, self-relying, and in the habit of
choosing her own path, she had an instinctive feeling that this new
passion might lay upon her a certain thralldom, not congenial to her
haughty spirit. This consciousness made her distant and reserved, when
she again met Mr. Lansdowne at the tea-table.
In fact, the manner of each towards the other had wholly changed.
John was calm, respectful, gentle, but made no effort to draw Ad�le's
attention. After tea he asked Mrs. Dubois to play backgammon with him.
Ad�le worked on her embroidery, and Mr. Somers sat beside her,
sketching on paper with his pencil, various bits of ruin and scenery
in Europe, mixed up with all sorts of grotesque shapes and monsters.
Mr. Lansdowne appeared, all the evening, so composed, so natural, and
simply brotherly, that when Ad�le went to her room for the night, the
interview of the afternoon seemed almost like a dream. She thought
that the peculiar reception she had given to his avowal, might have
quite disenchanted her lover. And the thought disturbed her. After
much questioning and surmising, she went to sleep.
The next day and the next, Mr. Lansdowne's manner towards Ad�le
continued the same. She supposed he might renew the subject of their
last conversation, but he did not, although several opportunities
presented, when he might have done so. Occasionally, she strove to
read his emotions by observing his countenance, but his eyes were
averted to other objects. He no longer glanced towards her. "Ah!
well", said Ad�le to herself, "his affection for me could not be so
easily repulsed, were it so very profound. I will care nothing for
him". And yet, somehow, her footstep lagged wearily and her eye
occasionally gathered mists on its brightness.
It was now the eve of the fifth of October. An unnatural heat
prevailed, consequent on the long drought, the horizon was skirted
with a smoky haze and the atmosphere was exceedingly oppressive. Mrs.
Dubois, who was suffering from a severe headache, sat in the parlor,
half buried in the cushions of an easy-chair. Ad�le stood beside her,
bathing her head with perfumed water, while Mr. Somers, prostrated by
the weather, lay, apparently asleep, upon a sofa.
"That will do, Ad�le", said Mrs. Dubois, making a slight motion
towards her daughter. "That will do, _ma ch�re_, my head is cooler
now. Go out and watch for your father. He will surely be here
to-night".
Ad�le stepped softly out, through the window upon the balcony.
A few minutes after, Mr. Lansdowne came to the parlor door, looked in,
inquired for Mrs. Dubois's headache, gazed for a moment, at the serene
face of the sleeper on the sofa, and then, perceiving Ad�le sitting
outside, impelled by an irresistible impulse, went out and joined her.
She was leaning her head upon her hand, with her arm supported by a
low, rude balustrade, that ran round the edge of the balcony, and was
looking earnestly up the road, to catch the first glimpse of her
father. Her countenance had a subdued, sad expression. She was indeed
very unhappy. The distance and reserve that had grown up so suddenly
between herself and Mr. Lansdowne had become painful to her. She would
have rejoiced to return once more to their former habits of frank and
vivacious conversation. But she waited for him to renew the
familiarity of the past.
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