United States or Afghanistan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"By the way, I suppose Sapphira has " "Do try and cure yourself of the habit of calling the girl by that absurd name, Hadria." "Oh, yes; but the name is so descriptive. She has told you of Miss Du Prel's arrival?" "She has told me nothing of the sort." Temperley did not look overjoyed.
Her deep regret at Miss Du Prel's departure, her dread of her own future, her growing sense of the torment, and horror, and sacrifice that form so large a part of the order of the world, all appeared to be united fantastically in malignant and threatening form, in the final words of the Professor: "It is monstrous, it is dastardly, it is damnable!"
And at night, the stars twinkled with a frosty brilliancy, and the flowers were cut down by cruel invisible hands. The long dark evenings and the shrieking winds of winter were before them. With the shortening of the days, and the sweeping away of great shoals of leaves, in the frequent gales, Miss Du Prel's mood grew more and more sombre.
If she was not interested, as Hadria said, she was seldom affable. Possibly Hubert's request to her, years ago at Dunaghee, to "think for a moment" had not been forgiven. "Where is she? Oh! The exclamation was in consequence of Miss Du Prel's appearing at the door of the library, whence she surveyed the group with absent-minded intentness.
Hubert Temperley at once roused Miss Du Prel's interest by the large stores of information that he had to pour forth on the history of the district, from its earliest times to the present. He recalled the days when these lands that looked so smooth and tended had been mere wastes of marsh and forest. How quickly these great changes were accomplished!
A man could never forget it, who had once received his welcome." Such was Miss Du Prel's impression, when ten minutes later the meeting took place between the Professor and his old friend. It would indeed have been hard to be anything but genial to the Professor.
In recording it for Algitha's benefit that evening, Hadria found that she could not reproduce the exhilarating quality, or describe the influence of Miss Du Prel's personality. It was as if, literally, a private and particular atmosphere had encompassed her. She was "alive all round," as her disciple asserted. Her love of Nature was intense.
Temperley had fallen into the dulcet strains of one who feels, not only that he stands as the champion of true wisdom and virtue, but that he is sure of support from the vast majority of his fellows. Miss Du Prel's brusqueness seemed to suit her less admirable rôle. Temperley was tolerant and regretful.
But in another, he makes me feel more than ever what I am missing." Miss Du Prel's impulsive instincts could be kept at bay no longer. "There is really nothing for it, but some deed of daring," she cried. "I believe, if only your husband could get over his horror of the scandal and talk, that a separation would be best for you both. It is not as if he cared for you. One can see he does not.
"Are you in revolt against the very basis of existence?" she asked curiously. "No: at least ... but this is not what I am driving at exactly," replied Hadria, turning uneasily away from the close scrutiny. "Don't you know oh, don't you see how many women secretly hate, and shrink from this brutal domestic idea that fashions their fate for them?" Miss Du Prel's interest quickened.
Word Of The Day