The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sylvia's Lovers, Vol. II, by Elizabeth Gaskell

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Title: Sylvia's Lovers, Vol. II

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Posting Date: August 11, 2009 [EBook #4535]
Release Date: October, 2003
First Posted: February 4, 2002

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SYLVIA'S LOVERS, VOL. II ***

Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines.

[Editor's Note:--The chapter numbering for volume 2 & 3 was changed
from the original in order to have unique chapter numbers for the
complete version, so volume 2 starts with chapter XV and volume 3
starts with chapter XXX.]

SYLVIA'S LOVERS.

BY

ELIZABETH GASKELL

Oh for thy voice to soothe and bless!
What hope of answer, or redress?
Behind the veil! Behind the veil!--Tennyson

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

M.DCCC.LXIII.

CONTENTS

XV A DIFFICULT QUESTION
XVI THE ENGAGEMENT
XVII REJECTED WARNINGS
XVIII EDDY IN LOVE'S CURRENT
XIX AN IMPORTANT MISSION
XX LOVED AND LOST
XXI A REJECTED SUITOR
XXII DEEPENING SHADOWS
XXIII RETALIATION
XXIV BRIEF REJOICING
XXV COMING TROUBLES
XXVI A DREARY VIGIL
XXVII GLOOMY DAYS
XXVIII THE ORDEAL
XXIX WEDDING RAIMENT

CHAPTER XV

A DIFFICULT QUESTION

Philip went to bed with that kind of humble penitent gratitude in
his heart, which we sometimes feel after a sudden revulsion of
feeling from despondency to hope. The night before it seemed as if
all events were so arranged as to thwart him in his dearest wishes;
he felt now as if his discontent and repining, not twenty-four hours
before, had been almost impious, so great was the change in his
circumstances for the better. Now all seemed promising for the
fulfilment of what he most desired. He was almost convinced that he
was mistaken in thinking that Kinraid had had anything more than a
sailor's admiration for a pretty girl with regard to Sylvia; at any
rate, he was going away to-morrow, in all probability not to return
for another year (for Greenland ships left for the northern seas as
soo