Blondel Parva, by the Author of 'Lost Sir Massingberd'. (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. A KNIGHT-ERRANT. Fresh and bright was still the autumn morning, when Maurice Glyn appeared at the vicarage breakfast-table, although it was hours after the events recorded in our last chapter. His face was flushed with happiness, and it was with effort that he repressed his exuberant spirits, lest they should jar upon the melancholy of his host. He had told him over-night of his engagement to Kate, and the poor curate could not help contrasting with that fortunate result the bitter end of his own recent love-making. But he had congratulated Maurice with all his heart, and was genuinely glad, not only that his guest had secured so charming a bride for himself, but that he had put SirRichard out of court. Moreover, it was pleasant to think that he should now have his friend permanently near him, if at least healing Time should permit his own continuance at Blondel; for at present it was a hard trial to him to be so near, and yet so far, from her he loved; to meet her in his daily walks, and yet not touch her hand; to pass by the cottage where he had once been so welcome a visitor. At church, too, as he scanned his flock from the pulpit, the temptation was irresistible to glance towards the spot where Mary sat beside her sightless father, with eyes downdrooped so low that she scarce saw more than he. Notwithstanding all his efforts, the thoughts of her would mingle with the curate's prayers. What hopes and happiness, what disappointments and despairs, grow up together in every human crop, no matter how limited its extent, as here in Little Blondel! And what sudden reverses too! Revolutionswherein, " hey presto, foul is fair, and fair is foul," the wretched are raised to bliss, the blissful suddenly sink into unutterable woe; where even the compassionate, alas, ...