Lucile By Owen Meredith [i.e. E. R. B. Lytton] |
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| II. |
| III. |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
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| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. | XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| II. |
 | Lucile |  |
77
XV.
Lord Alfred looked up,
(His gaze had been fix'd on a blue Sèvres cup
With a look of profound connoisseurship—a smile
Of singular interest and care, all this while)
He look'd up, and look'd long in the face of Lucile,
To mark if that face by a sign would reveal
At the thought of Miss Darcy the least jealous pain.
He look'd keenly and long, yet he look'd there in vain.
The face was calm, cheerful, reserv'd, and precise;
‘Is this woman,’ he thought, ‘changed to diamond or ice?’
‘You are generous, Madam,’ he murmur'd at last,
And into his voice a light irony pass'd,
‘If these be indeed the sole motives you feel.’
(His gaze had been fix'd on a blue Sèvres cup
With a look of profound connoisseurship—a smile
Of singular interest and care, all this while)
He look'd up, and look'd long in the face of Lucile,
To mark if that face by a sign would reveal
At the thought of Miss Darcy the least jealous pain.
He look'd keenly and long, yet he look'd there in vain.
The face was calm, cheerful, reserv'd, and precise;
‘Is this woman,’ he thought, ‘changed to diamond or ice?’
‘You are generous, Madam,’ he murmur'd at last,
And into his voice a light irony pass'd,
‘If these be indeed the sole motives you feel.’
‘What others but these could I have?’ said Lucile.
‘I might,’ answer'd Alfred, ‘presume, if I did
‘Wish to call into question (which Heaven forbid!)
‘The generous feelings that find me—believe—
‘Most grateful—these letters you wish'd to receive
‘From personal motives—’
‘Wish to call into question (which Heaven forbid!)
‘The generous feelings that find me—believe—
‘Most grateful—these letters you wish'd to receive
‘From personal motives—’
She laugh'd at the word.
‘Were it not somewhat late to have these? O my lord,
‘Had I waited, indeed, for ... (what is it you say?)
‘Such “personal motives” (your words) till to-day,
‘Would you not, of a truth, have experienced one touch
‘Of dreadful remorse?’
‘Were it not somewhat late to have these? O my lord,
‘Had I waited, indeed, for ... (what is it you say?)
‘Such “personal motives” (your words) till to-day,
‘Would you not, of a truth, have experienced one touch
‘Of dreadful remorse?’
‘You embarrass me much,’
Replied Alfred. He spoke with assurance, for here
He recover'd his ground, and had nothing to fear.
He had look'd for reproaches, and fully arranged
His forces. But straightway the enemy changed
The position.
78
He recover'd his ground, and had nothing to fear.
He had look'd for reproaches, and fully arranged
His forces. But straightway the enemy changed
The position.
| Lucile | |