 | Randolph |  |
Now, what think you, Mary? Is not that about enough
for mortal patience? What would you do? Advise me—
counsel me. Shall I follow her to New-York, to France,
to the ends of the earth—till I accomplish my purpose?
What say you?—speak but the word, and so sure as my
name is Edward Molton—so sure as I am beloved of
thee, thou terrible woman, so sure will I bring that
naughty girl to my feet—as I have thee. Nay, start not,
Mary. Is it not true? Thou thinkest that I am in thy
power. True—I am;—to a certain degree, I am;—but
thou art abundantly more in mine. What! do I boast?
I do, and defy thee—even thee, thou mysterious and passionate
creature, with all thy loveliness and wrath, to
rebel. And why? Because thou fearest to die; and I do
not. Thou wouldst not survive my abandonment of thee;—
thou wouldst go to thy grave, guilty, broken hearted,
and shivering. But I—I should die like a hero—a martyr,
in my own blaze, laughing at the devils that beckoned
to me, and covering up my poor shattered heart, in
its mortal spasms, from all, but most of all, from thee:
for thou, woman, were I dying for thee, shouldst never
and ever, for thy desertion of me—even if thou wert unfaithful
to my memory. What! have I not purchased
thee?—purchased thee, in blood? And shall I permit another
to approach thee?—never! And better 'twere for
him, to penetrate the cavern where sleeps the young panther,
under the watch of its famished mother, than go
near where thou art sleeping! Mary!—I would make the
world a solitude, had I the power, were one of its inhabitants
but to think of thee, irreverently.
I intended to tell thee how I received the boy, that
came to fight me; but I must defer it, till I meet thee.
I overcame him—I put the billet into his hand;—and, after
a few words, I was calm, very calm—I bade him go in
peace. He thought that I knew not his errand;—and
well for him was it, that he did think so. Death! that I
must conceal and darken the working of my soul before
such children! I cannot tell thee, Mary, how I did it;
but, I did it. In one word,—I conquered him.
Farewell!—
| Randolph | |