Elsie Seymour (Volume 2); Or, the Contrast (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856. Excerpt: ... heard his confession and administered the holy sacraments. He breathed his last. The poor widow, in her bewilderment, fancied that it was all a dream. When the truth dawned upon her, she remained for some days in such a state of prostration, that the landlord began to fear former life as well, and thathiscustom might suffer from two deaths in his house. He forced his wife, against her better feelings, to prevail upon the widow to shift her quarters to a neighbouring hospital tended by some religious women. No sooner was the removal suggested than she appeared suddenly to recover her strength. She proudly demanded her bill and, finding a sufficient sum among her husband's effects to pay it, lost no time in leaving the house. The expenses of Arnstein's illness and funeral had so exhausted her resources, that what remained barely sufficed for her journey to Milan. Arrived there, she found herself once more in a state of destitution. Had her mind been unaffected at this time, she might have written to her friends in Eome, and procured a sufficient sum to carry her to Munich, in order to assert her children's right to a portion of their grandlather's property; but she was still raving for Allardyce, and her one desire was to return to her cottage in Surrey. By a singular chance she again met her late benefactor, whose face recalled the earliest associations of her life. She was wandering with her children along the Corso, when she saw Herbert Lisle and was emboldened to address him, as. they had been crying with hunger, and her proud heart was subdued. She accosted him and, thanking him for his past kinduess, besought him to lenl her some money, which she promised to repay. Herbert questioned her. She was mueh changed in appearance since she had left Cavvthor...