FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36  
37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   >>   >|  
nce. But, sir, I am here to defend my mother's rights and to protect her from insult! And I tell you plainly that you have affronted her for the very last time! One more word or look of insult leveled at Marah Rocke and neither your age, position nor this sacred roof shall protect you from personal chastisement at the hands of her son!" Le Noir, who had listened in angry scorn, with many an ejaculation of contempt, now at the conclusion which so galled his pride, broke out furiously, with: "Sir, you are a bully! If you were a gentleman I would call you out!" "And I should not come if you did, sir! Dueling is unchristian, barbarous and abominable in the sight of God and all good men. For the rest you may call me anything you please; but do not again insult my mother, for if you do I shall hold it a Christian duty to teach you better manners," said Traverse, coolly taking his hat and walking from the room. He mounted his horse and stood ready to attend Clara to Staunton. Colonel Le Noir ground his teeth in impotent rage, muttering: "Take care, young man! I shall live to be revenged upon you yet for these affronts!" and his dastard heart burned with the fiercer malignity that he had not dared to meet the eagle eye, or encounter the strong arm of the upright and stalwart young man. Gnashing his teeth with ill-suppressed fury, he strode into the hall just as Mrs. Rocke and Clara, in her traveling dress, descended the stairs. Clara threw her arms around Mrs. Rocke's neck, and, weeping, said: "Good-by, dear, best friend--good-by! Heaven grant it may not be for long! Oh, pray for me, that I may be sent back to you!" "May the Lord have you in His holy keeping, my child! I shall pray until I hear from you!" said Marah, kissing and releasing her. Colonel Le Noir then took her by the hand, led her out, and put her into the carriage. Just before entering Clara had turned to take a last look at her old home--all, friends and servants, noticed the sorrowful, anxious, almost despairing look of her pale face, which seemed to ask: "Ah, shall I ever, ever return to you, dear old home, and dear, familiar friends?" In another instant she had disappeared within the carriage, which immediately rolled off. As the carriage was heavily laden, and the road was in a very bad condition, it was a full hour before they reached the town of Staunton. As the carriage drew up for a few moments before the door of the principa
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36  
37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
carriage
 

insult

 

friends

 

Colonel

 
Staunton
 

protect

 
mother
 

strong

 
friend
 
weeping

Heaven

 

reached

 

encounter

 

principa

 

moments

 
strode
 
suppressed
 

traveling

 

stalwart

 
upright

stairs

 

Gnashing

 

descended

 

immediately

 

anxious

 

sorrowful

 

noticed

 

servants

 
rolled
 
despairing

return

 
instant
 

familiar

 

disappeared

 

heavily

 

condition

 

kissing

 
keeping
 

releasing

 
entering

turned

 

attend

 

contempt

 
ejaculation
 
conclusion
 

listened

 

galled

 

gentleman

 

furiously

 

plainly