Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/409

riably was "She knew you in infancy—you remind her of her own dear child. I would not wound her feelings by neglecting to take you there on these occasions for the world. I promised long ago that she should see you twice a-year."

Nor could Henriette obtain an explanation from Mrs. Greville.

"Why," she inquired, on one occasion, "why does not my dear father see you?"

"He will not see me," replied Mrs. Greville. "I remind him of your mamma."

"You knew her, then?"

"Oh, yes: well."

"You have been married?"

"I have."

"You have had children?"

"One—one dear—dear girl."

"Alas—to me."

"Your husband—is he dead?"

"Your daughter, too?"

"To me—to me: yes, both are dead to me! But do not urge me: pray do not. You'll break my heart. I cannot bear it. Promise me—do promise me—that you'll never revert to this subject again."

Henriette, seeing her distress, did promise, and from that hour the subject, in her presence, was never named.

On this occasion, however, as the carriages met, Howard and Mrs. Greville caught each other's glance, and while his altered appearance so shocked her, that she was almost unable to alight, he suddenly sank back in his carriage and wept.

Having been with some difficulty assisted into the room which she usually occupied, she sank into a chair and sobbed aloud, and when Henriette who had marvelled at her father's sudden emotion—had joined her, she fell upon her neck, and kissed and blessed her more passionately than ever.

"My dear Mrs. Greville," said Henriette, "what can be the meaning of this? I left my father weeping, and now—"

"You left him weeping? Oh, did he weep when he saw me?"

"I know not that he saw you, but he wept."

"Thank heaven! I am not then despised."

"Despised! Surely you never imagined that you were?"

"I have thought so, my dearest love—I have thought so! But he is not well! He cannot be well!"

"He is as well as usual! or was when we left home this morning."

"Then what a change has been effected! Oh, my love, there was a time—but that time's past. Dear Henriette!—you know not how I love you!"

"You love me. You love me, and yet you keep me in ignorance of that which I have been for years panting to know. Why are you now thus afflicted? Why did my dear father weep? If you love me, let me know all. I said if!—Forgive me. I feel, I know you love me fondly; but pray, pray keep me in ignorance no longer."