 | Randolph |  |
EDWARD MOLTON TO MARY HOWARD.
I am astonished!—at a publick house!—what could possess
you?—I—I—why did you not write,
and tell me?—
Forgive me, my dear girl;—but, indeed, you have no
idea how cruelly I have suffered by your silence—your
illness too!—ah, I knew by the manner, in which your
letter concluded, that I could not, to your rescue, too speedily.
In fifteen minutes, I was in the saddle. I am here—
here, where you slept but two nights ago;—yet, where
are you? Whither went you in such haste?—I came to you,
love—ready, with my lips, to draw out the poison from
every wound of your poor heart—O, Mary, where art
thou!—Raving perhaps;—forsaken—helpless—even as
thou saidst in thy letter;—and I, what can I do for thee?
pale, weary—my very blood, the little that there is left
of it, all running, with a sensation of mortal coldness to
my temples. Where art thou Mary? The iron is rusting in
my heart; and no hand but thine, dear, can pluck it out—
O, no—I did not mean it. I did not—believe me. I do
love thee, Mary—love thee beyond all—all—in heaven
and earth.—Ah!—a paper! * * * * *
Bless thee love—heaven forever bless thee! But how
couldst thou foresee this? Didst thou know, love, that
I should inhabit thy chamber so soon?—so soon throw myself
upon that pillow?—O, I see the motive that agitated
thee. Thou art gone, lest our secret should be told in
thy delirium. I follow thee. This line is sufficient.—
“To the mansion,” says thy billet—why, then, I must
have passed thee on the road * * * * I must return
— I —
I shall send this by William, charging thee not to enter
that house. The negotiation is not yet completed;
and my agent has kept my name a secret till now; so,
my dear Mary, if he should overtake thee, before thy arrival,
let me pray thee to drive into the city—secretly as
possible—and rest at Madam Waltons, where I shall he
within an hour afterward.
Be very careful—as my sister, thou wilt have to be especially
guarded, while we are there, which shall be no
longer than while William can light a fire in our rooms
at —.
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