He figures hereafter as the old Hospitaller,
Hammond. The reader must not take this present passage as referring to
the death of Eldredge, which has just taken place in he preceding
section. The author is now beginning to elaborate the relation of
Middleton and Alice. As will be seen, farther on, the death of Eldredge
is ignored and abandoned; Eldredge is revived, and the story proceeds in
another way.--G. P. L.], so mysterious, apparently so poor, yet so
powerful! What [is] his relation to you?"
"A close one," replied Alice sadly. "He was my father!"
"Your father!" repeated Middleton, starting back. "It does but heighten
the wonder! Your father! And yet, by all the tokens that birth and
breeding, and habits of thought and native character can show, you are my
countrywoman. That wild, free spirit was never born in the breast of an
Englishwoman; that slight frame, that slender beauty, that frail
envelopment of a quick, piercing, yet stubborn and patient spirit,--are
those the properties of an English maiden?"
"Perhaps not," replied Alice quietly. "I am your countrywoman. My
father was an American, and one of whom you have heard--and no good,
alas!--for many a year.
Pages:
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250