28.05.2013 Views

Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

CHAPTER IV.<br />

An affair of <strong>the</strong> heart-Love's trials- The work<strong>in</strong>gs of supersti-<br />

tion - Collusion - The forged letter.<br />

THE unexpected disappearance of <strong>the</strong> object of his<br />

affections, and <strong>the</strong> manner of it, much amazed Alonzo<br />

Carleton, and stung to <strong>the</strong> quick his proud and sensitive<br />

soul. And to learn that his adored .Anna<br />

Maria was at last brought completely under <strong>the</strong> baneful<br />

<strong>in</strong>fluence of a Jesuit whom she once despised, and<br />

himself cordially hated, be could not but feel that she<br />

was irrecoverably lost, and given up to a fatal delusion.<br />

Meditat<strong>in</strong>g upon <strong>the</strong> event, <strong>in</strong> a dejected and<br />

melancholy mood he thus soliloquized:<br />

" She is lost! .Alas! my fair one is lost! -lost to<br />

her friends, to society, and to herself; lost to <strong>the</strong><br />

world and to me; lost to happ<strong>in</strong>ess, to usefulness;<br />

lost to a life of active benevolence, for which her<br />

generous heart and noble nature so em<strong>in</strong>ently fitted<br />

her! Influenced by an <strong>in</strong>trigu<strong>in</strong>g Jesuit, she has forgotten<br />

<strong>the</strong> pledges of her love, and been led, bl<strong>in</strong>dfold,<br />

<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> mazes of an absurd, stupefY<strong>in</strong>g and<br />

soul-wi<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ology! "" 'if< 'iI< 'iI< If of her own accord<br />

she had cast me off thus, I could turn from her<br />

<strong>in</strong> proud disda<strong>in</strong>, and blot her image from my heart!<br />

But 't is not so; 't is not her own but ano<strong>the</strong>r's fault I<br />

(58)

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!