Madame Panache

“ Oh, my God! what a wreck of happiness I have made for myself and others! I have been a misfortune to all connected with me. What a stab must I not give to my daughter's heart, when I tell her we part to meet no more! What tears of bitter anguish will she not shed, when she hears the recital of those misdeeds, so degrading to the memory of the father, whom she fondly thinks the first of human beings! Yet the misery of her mind on hearing my errors would be felicity compared to the anguish mine has endured, when, for her sake, I have undergone the martyrdom of her praises. ”

“ O'Sullivan started, and his eyes rested on the figure of Adelaide. As she had compassionately viewed his sorrowful countenance, memory had too faithfully depicted to her mind the anguish, which had always marked this eventful day to her father. The sudden doleful lamentation had completely overcome her spirits, and with her hands clasped in agony, torrents of tears were streaming down her cheeks, whilst, as the chilled blood recoiled to her heart, her dark hair threw a melancholy shade on her palid face. The impulse of humanity overcame the silence of sorrow ”

“ But had she thus quickly subdued all the rebel feelings, that so lately had mocked the calm control of reason? Oh, no! The smile that quivers round the trembling lip may play but to conceal the throb of agony. Even the melancholy sepulchre sometimes looks bright in the splendid beam of the sun; and the admiring spectator thinks not of the darkness and horror that reign within. At that moment Adelaide's heart was the tomb of hope. When she entered the breakfast room, Mr. Webberly stared at her like another Cymon, when Iphigenia first appeared to his wondering view. ”

“ He had never known the endearing cares of a sister,—never had enjoyed the blessing of maternal smiles. In Selina Seymour alone all his first affections were centred, and as his matured reason watched her opening charms, his judgment sanctioned his love.
It was true, that in the vortex of dissipation into which she had lately been plunged, he had found something to reprove in her manners, and a great deal to deplore in her conduct to himself; yet with the lenity which belongs to true affection, he sought excuses for what he most condemned ”

“ I can never forget her, but she refused me." "Refused you!" exclaimed Sedley, in a tone of unfeigned surprise; "well, no doubt your pride has cured your love; but upon my soul I almost pity you; for when a man is once fascinated by a pretty woman, it is devilish hard to get out of her toils." "So far from my pride being my cure, her refusal raised my love to a pitch that made my former attachment seem cold in comparison. You may smile, Sedley, but if you have a heart to be moved, it must be touched when I tell you of her noble conduct on that occasion. ”

“ I should be guilty of little less than homicide, in suffering you to drive over those mountains again this evening;—'tis almost dark at this instant." "Thank you, thank you a thousand times, my dear Sir!" exclaimed Lord Eltondale, if possible still more grateful for the manner in which it was granted, than for the much-coveted permission itself. "Could you but know the happiness your invitation gives me. I see you can pity the feelings of a young man." "I can pity them," said O'Sullivan, smiling. "When I know you better, young gentleman, I will tell you whether I wish to encourage them. ”

“ Our affections are involuntary—you cannot answer for the continuance of your attachment. Time, absence, your country, your family, will estrange your heart from me; and honour alone would continue to bind you to me when love had fled. I should, when too late for recall, be doomed to inconsolable misery, by finding your sense of duty had destroyed your happiness. As for myself, I could not live under such a load of hopes and fears. No, Frederick, from this day I will endeavour to destroy every memento of our having ever met. ”

“ It seemed always to be the fashions of the times he quizzed, rather than the people who exhibited them. "What an entertaining, exhilarating people the Irish are!" said Adelaide to Colonel Desmond. "Yes," replied he; "but yet, with all their cleverness, how strangely inconsistent is their conduct! If Melicent Desmond was a sovereign princess, her father could not have had more pride about her than he has; and yet here she is associating with her music-master, dancing in the very set with him; and I never can persuade him there is any impropriety in it." "How well she does dance!" ”

“ Weary on ye, Limerick, that ever ye rose on the face of God's earth, for ye lost me my sweet child." The poor old woman beat her breast as this burst of sorrow escaped her lips, and the tears rolled down the furrows of her aged cheeks in torrents. "Nurse! nurse!" said Theresa, sobbing, "don't take on so; if your master sees or hears you, you'll make him ill again: you know what trouble he was in this morning, and that he wouldn't have the first sight of the little girl before mortal breathing, but sent for her to his own room." ”

“ At that instant earth had no consolation to offer for her sorrows; but she turned to Heaven and found it there.
When she rose from her supplications, she hastily returned the packet to her portfolio. "I will not trust myself with it again," thought she; "I have here no friend to soothe, to control my mind.—In a few days I shall be with Mrs. Temple."
There are minds, which are capable of an intensity of regret, that others can scarcely conceive. Long after it has lost the more tumultuous character of grief, it lies deep in the recesses of the heart. ”

“ A well lighted room, with a blazing fire and an excellent dinner, made the party almost rejoice to hear the whistling wind and driving showers, that foreboded a stormy night. Lord Eltondale was so overjoyed to find himself once more seated beside Adelaide, unshackled by any engagement, and almost certain of her regard, that all his former and characteristic vivacity returned; and his lively sallies infecting every body with his own gaiety, she talked to him with that flow of spirits, which her delight at seeing him naturally excited in her mind ”

“ Until her uncle fixed his residence at her father's house, she was nearly as wild as the heaths that surrounded it. But the observer of nature is well aware, that in such uncultivated regions blooms many a flower, whose beauty is more exquisite than that of those the art of man raises in the brilliant parterre. Some happy star seemed to rule over Melicent Desmond, that saved her from the very verge of what was unlovely in woman. ”

“ When they entered, she was herself standing at a writing-table; her bonnet lay beside her, and her luxuriant hair, discomposed by her race, fell in loose ringlets on her shoulders; whilst the tear of wounded feeling stood on her beaming cheek. Augustus stopped, and casting his eyes around the altered room, "Is this your favourite apartment, Selina?" said he, while love, joy, and gratitude glowed in his countenance. "I sometimes sit here to enjoy the morning sun," answered she, blushing deeply; whilst his ardent and penetrating gaze increased her confusion. ”

“ In a few minutes Colonel Desmond was conducted by O'Sullivan to Miss Wildenheim's sitting-room; and when the anxious parent retired, pleaded his passion with love's own eloquence. Adelaide, much agitated, moved almost to tears, which she could scarcely restrain as she spoke, expressed her esteem, her gratitude, for this long-continued kindness—her regard for him as her father's friend, as her own: yet concluded by saying, "An insuperable obstacle divides us; generously spare me the distressing recital wherefore. I implore your forgiveness if my conduct has unintentionally deceived you." ”

“ O'Sullivan, raging with passion, vociferated, "She is an impostor; an artful minx, come to cheat Caroline." The Miss Webberlys screamed in Adelaide's ear, "Produce your proofs if you dare!" Their brother, with equal fury, interfered on her behalf. Little Caroline clung crying to her knees, "They shan't hurt you, dear Adele, they shan't hurt you!" Whilst Theresa, with terror in her looks, went from one to the other, saying, "For God's sake have done; leave the room if you can't be quiet; Mr. O'Sullivan will never get over such a piece of work on this day, of all days in the year!" ”

“ When she recovered a little from the racking emotions which tortured her, she mournfully took his hand, and said, "I do not shun you; God knows to console yours would be a delightful solace to my own afflictions. But I implore you to pause before you cherish these delusive ideas; a few minutes will suffice to convince you of the fatal error you have fallen into." She then, in a whisper, entreated Miss Fitzcarril to procure her portfolio, as she feared to irritate Mr. O'Sullivan's mind, by leaving him herself. Theresa fulfilled her request, and then with true delicacy retired. ”

“ Every now and then there was clapping of hands, and "Well done, Lary, keep it up, keep it up!" and a murmur of approbation for Adelaide went round: "She's a beautiful cratur; and what kindly ways she has with her," said one. "The Lord love her little canny feet, how they do humour the music!" remarked another; and so on, till she made her curtsy when the jig was ended; and then there was a general shout of "Huzza! for the young lady and Lary for ever." "Arrah, whist wid your noisy tongues," said an old woman; "you'll trouble his honour, and mind him of Miss Rose. ”

“ However I trust, thanks to you, my dear friend, we shall soon meet; and if her heart is still mine, what happiness!—Gracious Heaven! Miss Seymour!"—and the recollection of his situation regarding Selina glanced through his mind, turning all the past to pain—"I must not, dare not, think of her now." "And why not?" replied Sedley, with an agitation little inferior to his own, "You are not irrevocably engaged to Miss Seymour, Eltondale?" "I am as much as a man of honour can be, who has not received the lady's own consent from her own mouth. ”

“ With a little of the vivacity, which once had marked her every impression, did she now anticipate with fond delight her return to those beloved scenes of her happy infancy. Her heart beat high as in swiftest thought she pictured to herself being once more pressed to the maternal bosom of Mrs. Galton, and once more enjoying the calm unembittered pleasures of her earlier years. Overcome by the various emotions these thoughts gave birth to, she retired to her own room, to regain composure, and to write to persuade her dearest aunt to meet her there. ”