In the Golden Days (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1890. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. REPARATION. Love give me strength, And strength shall help afford. Romeo and Juliet. Left once more to himself, Hugo, still greatly agitated by all he had suffered that evening, found sleep impossible. True, even in the midst of his shame and perplexity, he already felt something of the relief of confession, but with the relief there was a bewildering consciousness that this was only a brief pause, a sort of breathing space, betwixt his confession and the certain results of his wrong-doing. Another day, a few hours, and he might be a prisoner, with another man's life under the protection of his strength of purpose. A few hours, and he might be borne away from Mondisfield for ever A few hours, and he might have looked his last on Joyce No wonder that sleep refused to come to his excited brain. Wearily he tossed to and fro on his pallet bed, weighing the probabilities of the future, alternating between wild hopes and ghastly fears, and, worse than all, haunted by the thought that Randolph's will might a second time overpower his, a second time make him a traitor to his conscience. Then he wandered back again to thoughts of Algernon Sydney, and he wondered whether it would be possible to write to him, tell him the whole truth, and ask his advice. Often in these wretched weeks of waiting he had pondered the feasibility of such a plan, but had always been debarred by the impossibility of not writing such a letter as would betray his real character, and prove him not to be Karl, the German lutist. And now, alas another obstacle had arisen. He might write a letter in his own character, but to do so would perchance involve Colonel Sydney in his disgrace. At all costs he must not risk that, he must die in silence rather than bring him into danger...