I saw you looking at Miss Diggle all night;
and you were so enchanted with Lydia Languish you scarcely once looked
at Julia. I could have crushed Bingley, I was so angry. I play Ella
Rosenberg on Friday: will you come then? Miss Diggle performs--ever
your E. F.
These three letters Mr. Pen used to read at intervals, during the day and
night, and embrace with that delight and fervour which such beautiful
compositions surely warranted. A thousand times at least he had kissed
fondly the musky satin paper, made sacred to him by the hand of Emily
Fotheringay. This was all he had in return for his passion and flames,
his vows and protests, his rhymes and similes, his wakeful nights and
endless thoughts, his fondness, fears and folly. The young wiseacre had
pledged away his all for this: signed his name to endless promissory
notes, conferring his heart upon the bearer: bound himself for life, and
got back twopence as an equivalent. For Miss Costigan was a young lady of
such perfect good-conduct and self-command, that she never would have
thought of giving more, and reserved the treasures of her affection until
she could transfer them lawfully at church.
Pages:
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213