How little did these two women care for me, who had freely
conceded all their claims, and a great deal more, out of the fulness
of my heart; while Hollingsworth, by some necromancy of his horrible
injustice, seemed to have brought them both to his feet!
"Women almost invariably behave thus," thought I. "What does the fact
mean? Is it their nature? Or is it, at last, the result of ages of
compelled degradation? And, in either case, will it be possible ever
to redeem them?"
An intuition now appeared to possess all the party, that, for this
time, at least, there was no more to be said. With one accord, we
arose from the ground, and made our way through the tangled
undergrowth towards one of those pleasant wood-paths that wound among
the overarching trees. Some of the branches hung so low as partly to
conceal the figures that went before from those who followed.
Priscilla had leaped up more lightly than the rest of us, and ran
along in advance, with as much airy activity of spirit as was
typified in the motion of a bird, which chanced to be flitting from
tree to tree, in the same direction as herself. Never did she seem
so happy as that afternoon. She skipt, and could not help it, from
very playfulness of heart.
Zenobia and Hollingsworth went next, in close contiguity, but not
with arm in arm. Now, just when they had passed the impending bough
of a birch-tree, I plainly saw Zenobia take the hand of Hollingsworth
in both her own, press it to her bosom, and let it fall again!
The gesture was sudden, and full of passion; the impulse had
evidently taken her by surprise; it expressed all! Had Zenobia knelt
before him, or flung herself upon his breast, and gasped out, "I love
you, Hollingsworth!" I could not have been more certain of what it
meant.
Pages:
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157