Nicholas stammered out an awkward apology, and was precipitately
retiring, when the young lady, turning her head a little, presented
to his view the features of the lovely girl whom he had seen at the
register-office on his first visit long before. Glancing from her to the
attendant, he recognised the same clumsy servant who had accompanied
her then; and between his admiration of the young lady's beauty, and
the confusion and surprise of this unexpected recognition, he stood
stock-still, in such a bewildered state of surprise and embarrassment
that, for the moment, he was quite bereft of the power either to speak
or move.
'My dear ma'am--my dear young lady,' cried brother Charles in violent
agitation, 'pray don't--not another word, I beseech and entreat you! I
implore you--I beg of you--to rise. We--we--are not alone.'
As he spoke, he raised the young lady, who staggered to a chair and
swooned away.
'She has fainted, sir,' said Nicholas, darting eagerly forward.
'Poor dear, poor dear!' cried brother Charles 'Where is my brother Ned?
Ned, my dear brother, come here pray.'
'Brother Charles, my dear fellow,' replied his brother, hurrying into
the room, 'what is the--ah! what--'
'Hush! hush!--not a word for your life, brother Ned,' returned the
other.
Pages:
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933