What is Christianity Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Difference between revisions of "Family Pride CHAPTER 2."

(Created page with "'''Back to Family Pride''' ---- <p>In the course of a day or two, I learned from the matron that <em>Mrs. Watson </em>was no other than the accomplished and once brillia...")
 
 
Line 51: Line 51:
 
   it fell to a low, wailing sound, that brought the tears into every eye, and made every heart throb with a sudden and painful interest in the singer. In the pause that followed, there was a stillness as profound as if every human form had on the instant changed into a marble statue. This silence was broken by the exclamation, <em>"Oh my — " </em>from a lady who stood near. In the next moment, Emily fell insensible into the arms of her father, who had sprung forward at the instant he perceived her condition.
 
   it fell to a low, wailing sound, that brought the tears into every eye, and made every heart throb with a sudden and painful interest in the singer. In the pause that followed, there was a stillness as profound as if every human form had on the instant changed into a marble statue. This silence was broken by the exclamation, <em>"Oh my — " </em>from a lady who stood near. In the next moment, Emily fell insensible into the arms of her father, who had sprung forward at the instant he perceived her condition.
 
----
 
----
'''Back to [[Family Pride]'''
+
'''Back to [[Family Pride]]'''

Latest revision as of 12:42, 21 November 2012

Back to Family Pride


In the course of a day or two, I learned from the matron that Mrs. Watson was no other than the accomplished and once brilliant Miss Thompson, who had been, some ten years before, the particular bright star of the fashionable hemisphere in our city.

Among the many suitors who flitted about her, was the son of a rich merchant named Darwin. This young man had received his education in one of the first institutions in the country, and was accomplished and highly intelligent. He soon won upon a heart not easily affected — a heart that had withstood already many well-directed assaults. Between General Thompson and the father of Darwin, had long existed the warmest feelings of friendship, and both were interested in seeing their children united by marriage.

Nearly a year had passed since Darwin became pointed and particular in his attentions to Emily, but he could not determine to propose for her hand. He found no objection to her existing in his mind, and yet there was something that held him back. Others had yielded up the field to him; and, urged by a principle of honor, he felt the reluctant and opposing spirit growing stronger and stronger within him. The quick instinctive perceptions of one like the daughter of General Thompson, were not long in detecting the aberration of her lover's affection, and all of her woman's pride was roused into indignation. After taking counsel of her own thoughts, and debating the question for some days, she determined to satisfy herself of his lukewarmness, and then to throw him off indignantly. On the evening after this resolution had become fixed, Darwin came to see her as usual. She seemed to him greatly changed; to be colder and more reserved.

"You appear very thoughtful tonight, Emily," he said. "You are not accustomed to being so serious."

"Nevertheless, I must own to being in rather a sober mood tonight," she replied, fixing her bright black eyes upon his face, with an earnestness that showed her determination to read his very thoughts, if possible.

Darwin did not understand, and felt strangely uneasy under their searching expression.

"May I presume to ask the cause why Emily Thompson is in so unusual a mood?" he said, with forced playfulness.

"Do you possess the right to ask me such a question, Edward Darwin?" she said, again looking him so searchingly in the face, that his eyes fell beneath her gaze.

"I claim not the right to know your thoughts, Emily," he replied, seriously. "I asked you lightly."

"And you never will have the right, sir!" she said, with a sudden, passionate energy, her eyes flashing as she spoke. "You have been trifling with me too long, Edward Darwin. But that is past. Now we will understand each other. Do not interrupt me," she continued, seeing that he was about to speak; "I must be heard first. Did you think that I could not detect the insincerity of your attentions? You mistook, sir, the woman with whom you were trifling, day after day, week after week, and month after month. From this hour, I reject your false attentions. From this hour we meet, if we meet at all, as strangers. I will neither forgive nor forget, the insult you have offered me, nor the violence you have done to my feelings!" And rising to her feet, she made a movement to retire.

"We part not thus!" he said, rising also. "Your hasty resolution, Emily, has cut me off from the power of showing the sincerity of my regard. You have rejected me, in anticipation. And I submit, without a murmur or a word of reproach. But I will say that my regard for you has been sincere — my esteem unbounded."

"Your regard! Your esteem!" she said, quickly interrupting him, while her lip curled in indignant scorn.

"Yes, and my lo — " but he could not utter the word. She knew what he would have said, and understood the cause of his hesitation. Turning instantly away, she glided from the room, and he was left alone with his own perplexed thoughts and agitated feelings. For a moment he stood irresolute; then ringing the bell, he directed the servant who answered the summons, to request General Thompson to afford him an interview. To him he detailed, in a few words, the scene which had just occurred; and then, without waiting for a reply from the astonished and confounded father, left the house.

Three months after, Edward Darwin led to the altar a lovely maiden, and claimed her for his bride. She was in every way the opposite of Emily Thompson, and her disposition harmonized more perfectly with that of the man who had chosen her from among all her beautiful companions. She was not so imposing and brilliant as Emily, nor so much under the influence of strong passions. The one was the mountain stream, now sparkling and glancing in the bright sun-beams — and now dashing over some barrier with ungovernable power; the other was the gentle rivulet, winding through green, quiet meadows, or gliding along, in light and shade, far down in the bosom of some lovely valley.

Early upon the evening that was to witness the happy union of Edward Darwin and his lovely bride, Emily Thompson was seated in her own chamber, her head leaning upon her arm, that rested upon a small table. An observer would almost have taken her form for that of a statue, with drapery of free and perfect arrangement. But, within, all the elements of her mind were in wild commotion. She had loved Edward Darwin deeply, passionately — fondly loved him. And when, in obedience to the dictates of a proud indignation, she had cast him off — the effort to do so, had well near unseated her reason. Nor were all her struggles to hate and despise him, successful. His image, that she would gladly have blotted out from her memory — still held its place; and the sound of his voice still echoed through the inner chambers of her heart. Three months had wrought great changes in her, externally as well as internally. Her full, blooming beauty had passed away; and her large bright eyes lighted up her thin pale face, which bore the expression of concealed,but wearing internal sorrows.

She had sat thus, motionless, for some twenty minutes, when suddenly the door opened, and her mother entered. Mrs. Thompson was a woman of tall stature, with a proud carriage, and an expression of arrogance and conscious superiority in her face. This evening her countenance was lowering, and she seemed agitated by contending emotions.

"Are you not going to Darwin's tonight?" she asked, in a quick voice, approaching the table at which Emily sat, and looking her steadily in the face.

"No, mother, I am not!" was the prompt and positive answer.

"Emily! You have disgraced yourself, and the whole family, and nothing will wipe it out, but your presence at Edward Darwin's wedding tonight. You have been invited, and you must go."

"It is no use to urge me, mother, I cannot! It would break my heart!" and she allowed her feelings so far to overcome her, as to burst into tears.

"Shame! shame on you, Emily! Have you not a drop of your mother's blood in your veins, nor a spark of your mother's spirit? Did you not cast off Edward Darwin as unworthy of your love, and will you let the world see that you have repented? Where is your pride? Where is your woman's true dignity? Your father is ashamed of you, and deeply mortified at your conduct, since Edward was so hastily rejected."

"Spare me, mother! In pity spare me!" replied the daughter, in a mournful tone. "I miscalculated my strength, when I resolved to cast off Edward Darwin. I would do anything to gratify you. But not that, mother, not that!"

"Emily, your father will be satisfied with nothing short of your attendance at Mr. Darwin's tonight. He has ordered the carriage to be at the door by seven, and will accompany you."

"O, mother!" said the distressed maiden, in a tone of deep despondency.

"Rouse yourself, Emily! Be a woman! Let no man who prizes not your love, see that you value his a single jot. He is unworthy of you. In the strength of pride, stand boldly up, and see him wed another. Even if your heart should be breaking, let your face wear a smile of careless mirth! Be a woman, Emily! Prove yourself to be the daughter of one who has cast off a dozen suitors — and not felt a pang. What will the world say if you are not there? You have already made yourself the subject of remark by your weakness, and if you brave it all off, then you will regain your character. Come, there is no time to be lost."

Mechanically Emily arose from the table, and proceeded to dress herself for the wedding. With the active assistance of her mother, she was quickly arrayed in a style of costly elegance.

"But your cheeks are too pale, Emily," said Mrs. Thompson, surveying her with a look of pride.

"That is easily remedied," replied the daughter in a low voice; and soon, under the careful application of rouge and powder, her pale cheeks presented a natural and healthy bloom.

"That will do. Now you look like yourself," said her mother. "One thing more. The carriage has driven up, and it is full time for you to be away. Promise me, that you will beyourself tonight!"

"If I have the power within me to control my feelings, then, mother, I will do as you desire!" she replied firmly, for she was beginning to rally herself. Her pride was coming to her aid.

Struggling against her feelings with all the energy of a proud spirit, now fully roused, from necessity, into firmness — she met her father below, with something like a cheerful air, and in a few minutes was seated in the carriage. No words passed between them on the way. When the carriage stopped, her heart fluttered wildly for a moment; but, one brief struggle restored her self-control. With a light step, and a high bearing, she entered the rich and crowded rooms, and none who saw her face could detect the trace of a singlehidden emotion of pain. The mask she had assumed, was one of perfect concealment.

The first shock of entering the house, which, of all others, she desired most to avoid, being over — her spirits gradually rose, and she found herself fully self-possessed. Her father watched her closely and anxiously, and soon ceased to fear.

Half an hour after they had arrived, it was announced that the nuptial ceremony would begin. Again her heart fluttered, but in an instant all was calm as the surface of a mountain-encircled lake. The crowd gave way, and, for the first time since the night of their painful interview, Emily beheld Edward Darwin, with the beautiful creature leaning upon his arm who was soon to be pronounced his bride. Again a thrill passed through every nerve, and again every emotion was hushed into stillness. She stood close by his side, while the imposing ceremony was progressing, and heard him promise to be all in all to another — without showing the existence of a single internal pang. And when it was over, no one congratulated the blushing bride with more seeming cordiality, or appeared on better terms with Darwin than she.

"I am pleased to see you in such fine spirits tonight," said Edward to her, on one occasion during the evening, when they happened to be thrown together.

"A happy time makes a happy company," she replied, smiling. "But I always enjoy myself."

"A cheerful disposition is a great blessing. You are favored in that respect," he said.

"Yes, highly favored. I endeavor always to be governed by a conscious sense of right, and then I have nothing to check the even and natural flow of my spirits. The secret ofhappiness is, to act from an obedience to reason, and not from a slavery to passion."

"There is, no doubt, much truth in your remark, Miss Thompson, but, how few of us can thus act! I, for one, must own that I have not yet learned that happy art."

"To each one is given, if he chose to exercise it, an internal power of self-control under "circumstances," she replied, looking him steadily in the face. "No one who chooses to command the strength that is a constituent of the mind, need ever be enslaved by passion, or held in bondage to feeling. I would lose my own self-respect, if I did not possess entire control over every temporary weakness of character."

Edward Darwin was puzzled. He had heard of her, as having secluded herself from society, and every report that had reached his ears, represented her as pale and emaciated — the image of distress. His heart had ached with every thought of her. He could not forget, that, in their last interview, Emily had exhibited a powerful feeling of indignation; that she had declared, that, if ever they met, it should be as strangers. Now she seemed, intentionally, to throw herself in his way, and to exhibit a degree of cheerful self-possessionthat he could not account for. He felt, by no means, as easy in her company, as she seemed to feel in his. He inclined to the opinion that she was playing a part, for he knew her to be a woman of strong mind. It was for her very strong character, that he had been unable to give her his entire affections. To her last remark, he was about to reply, when someone proposed that Miss Thompson should favor the company with a song. She was an exquisite performer, and had a voice of surpassing sweetness. This was known, and when she was led to the piano, all conversation was hushed, and every eye turned toward her.

Emily Thompson paused but a moment, and then touched the keys in a prelude to a beautiful tune. Almost breathlessly did everyone present listen to the rich, warbling melody of her voice, as she sang with unsurpassed skill and feeling, the lovely words of the song. Never before had General Thompson felt so proud of his daughter.

"Now give us another!" said a lady, standing near her, as the lingering sweetness of her voice died on the ear, in closing the last line of the song.

Without hesitating a moment, Emily turned over the leaves of the music book, and then again let her fingers fall gently upon the keys of the instrument, before which she was seated. The first verse of the song was given with great tenderness of style. The tones of her voice were sweet and low, and trembled as from deep emotion. But when she commenced the second verse, it was evident to all, that she was losing the command of her feelings. Her voice rallied with inconceivable power and sweetness upon the lines,

"With lightsome heart I plucked a rose,

Full sweet upon its thorny tree."

But when she sang,

"But my false lover stole my rose,

And left, alas! the thorn with me,"

it fell to a low, wailing sound, that brought the tears into every eye, and made every heart throb with a sudden and painful interest in the singer. In the pause that followed, there was a stillness as profound as if every human form had on the instant changed into a marble statue. This silence was broken by the exclamation, "Oh my — " from a lady who stood near. In the next moment, Emily fell insensible into the arms of her father, who had sprung forward at the instant he perceived her condition.


Back to Family Pride