You might once have been my honorable bride; yes, you
might still be. Passing by all your insults, I would still offer you my
hand, and honorable marriage."
"Infamous villain! how dare you insult my self-respect by even naming such
a thing? Never dare again, to couple my name with yours! never, sir! It is
the basest sacrilege to humanity!"
"Very well. Our _names_ shall _not_ be coupled; our _destinies shall be!_
Go, with the consoling thought to cheer you for a few fleeting hours. Here
I stand and swear it--witness my oath, ye trees! witness it, earth and sky!
and, if such beings there are, witness it, angels and devils--_Ellen Walton
shall be mine!_"
He was so deeply absorbed in calling on his witnesses, he noticed nothing
about him, and now looking to the spot where she stood, to observe the
effect of his words, behold, Ellen was not there. His tragic agony had been
wasted on the "desert air." Turning away once more, he left the place in a
rage.
Ellen, though she had left, heard his words in the distance, and
notwithstanding she had made a show of boldness, she was really alarmed,
and greatly dreaded the future. She knew that an evil-minded man, however
contemptible, was capable of doing infinite harm to a fellow-being, when
determinedly set thereon. Thus, between hope and fear, her time was passed.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56