Charlotte Smith

“ ONCE more seated by the bedside of her mother, who, on this morning, was too much indisposed to be able to leave it, Rosalie listened in silence to the continuation of a narrative in which she was so deeply interested.
"While Helene was gone, (said Mrs. Vyvian) , I collected strength enough to rise and go to the window of my bed chamber. It was now night, but there was light enough to enable me to discern every object on the lawn round the house. ”

“ Helene at length related to me that the house was now apparently quiet, but that an air of amazement and consternation was perceivable on the faces of all its inhabitants; all of whom seemed afraid to speak or even to look at each other.—The Abbé Hayward, she said had been alone with my father the whole day, and none of the servants had been permitted to wait but the old butler; that, on her applying to him for intelligence, he said he had orders to tell her, when she came down from her young lady, that Mr. Montalbert ordered her attendance. ”

“ I think that my intellects, unable to sustain, sunk under it, and that the artificial calm that followed was the effect of the agonies in which I passed this melancholy day, and the night that followed it. ”

“ Nelson almost always does if you are at any time the least ill, she never inquired after you, though she knew you had been confined to your room ill the whole day; as to the maids, they seemed like statues, and while I stayed on one pretence or other, in hopes of gaining some intelligence, Mrs. Nelson would have sent one of them to the store-room, but she turned as pale as death, and said it was impossible to go unless one of the other maids went with her. ”

“ The life of Ormsby, he said, was in my hands:—he recalled to my mind the temper of my father—the fierceness of his anger—the steadiness of his resentment....I listened and shuddered.
'If, (said he) , the mere information that the suspicion of such an affection between you and Mr. Ormsby was entertained in a neighbourhood, where he cares nothing about the people, has so enraged Mr. Montalbert as to induce him to act as he has done in regard to Mr. ”

“ The slightest failure in this respect will be attended with ill consequences—the least of which will be the loss of your place.....I ask you no questions as to your past discretion——As to your lady, tell her from me that I expect she will to-morrow appear before me as my daughter ought to appear ”