United States or Isle of Man ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Meanwhile, Charles Stevens, unconscious of her suffering, was hurrying as rapidly as he could to the home of Goody Nurse, where he was to meet Adelpha Leisler. He reached the house and was greeted by a tall, beautiful young woman, with great, black eyes and hair.
Cora shuddered and made a feeble effort to defend the pastor who had persecuted her; but Charles, who had the retaliating spirit of humanity in his soul, declared he was a pious fraud and a disgrace to his cloth. On their return to the house, Mrs. Stevens met them at the door with a glad smile on her face, and cried: "She has come, Charles." "Who?" he asked. "Adelpha Leisler." Mrs.
"You shall." As Charles strolled away from the spring with Adelpha, the face of Sarah Williams appeared from behind some bushes. Her jet black eyes flashed with fire, and her teeth gnashed until they threatened to crack between her angry jaws. "He hath another! Which of the two doth he love most? I will know, and then woe betide her!" Sarah Williams was cunning and utterly unscrupulous.
The love of a play-mate, tender as it may be, is not the love of maturity. Cora strove to console herself with these thoughts; but there was another danger that would obtrude itself in her way. That was the knowledge that he had not seen Adelpha for years, and she had developed from a child to a beautiful woman.
Alice, rising, said, "It is growing dark. Let us go home." "Alice, are you afraid of the witches, which seem to disturb Mr. Parris and Cotton Mather?" asked Adelpha. "There are no witches," Alice Corey answered with a shudder. "Father and mother both deny that there are any witches, and it is wrong to cry out against my aunt, Goody Nurse." "I dare say it is. The evening grows chill.
I don't know how William and Mary, our dread sovereigns, will be affected by this seizure of the government of New York." "It was in their interest." "It was so intended; but we have all learned not to put our trust in princes. It is quite dangerous to do so, and I sometimes fear that trouble will come of it." "Surely, Adelpha, one of your happy turn of mind would not borrow trouble.
All he can do is to wound the feelings of that poor girl; but she will go away soon, beyond reach of his calumny." "Heaven grant she may, and right soon, too." As Charles was about to leave the house, his mother asked: "Have you heard that Adelpha Leisler from New York is coming?" "Adelpha Leisler! No " He started, half in joy and half in regret. "She is. Surely, you have not forgotten her."
A child reared in old England, of which I have heard so much, the daughter of a player, perchance an actress herself. Oh, Charles, I am very anxious to see her and talk with her." "Adelpha, do you forget that she is a player?" "Oh, no; we descendants of the Netherlands look on such things in a far different light from the fanatical Puritans of New England. I must know this Cora Waters."
Charles did not care to tell all, for Cora was a disagreeable subject to discuss with Adelpha; but the companion of his childhood was not to be so easily put off. "Charles, she is very pretty. Why have you not told me of her before?" "I did not suppose you would be interested in her," the young man answered. "Not interested in her, with all the romance attached to her.
Word Of The Day