The Wanderer, or Female Difficulties by Frances Burney

Author:Frances Burney [Burney, Frances]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443437721
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2014-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

O my love, lov’st thou me?

Then quickly come and see one who dies for thee!

‘Yes here I come, Sir Lyell!’—in a low, husky, laughing voice, cried Flora, peeping through her chamber door; which was immediately at the head of the stairs, upon the second floor; and to which Sir Lyell looked up, softly whispering, ‘Be still, my little angel! and, in ten minutes—’ He stopped abruptly, for Sir Jaspar now caught his astonished sight, upon the landing-place of the attic story, with Juliet retreating behind him.

‘O ho! you are there, are you?’ he cried, in a tone of ludicrous accusation.

‘And you, you are there, are you?’ answered Sir Jaspar, in a voice more seriously taunting.

Juliet, hurt and confounded, would have escaped through the garret to the back stairs, but that her hat and cloak, without which she could not leave the house, were shut into her room. She tried, therefore, to look unmoved; well aware that the best chance to escape impertinence, is by not appearing to suspect that any is intended.

Three strides now brought Sir Lyell before her. His amazement, vented by rattling exclamations, again perplexed Sir Jaspar; for how could Juliet have been apprised of his intended visit, but by himself?

Sir Lyell, mingling the most florid compliments upon her radiant beauty, and bright bloom, with his pleasure at her sight, said that, from the reports which had reached him, that she had given up her singing, and her teaching, and that Sir Jaspar had taken the room which she had inhabited, he had concluded that she had quitted Brighthelmstone. He was going rapidly on in the same strain, the observant Sir Jaspar intently watching her looks, while curiously listening to his every word; when Juliet, without seeming to have attended to a syllable, related, with grave brevity, that she had unfortunately shut in the key of her room, and must therefore seek Miss Matson, to demand another; and then, with steady steps, that studiously kept in order innumerable timid fears, she descended to the shop; leaving the two baronets mutually struck by her superior air and manner; and each, though equally desirous to follow her, involuntarily standing still, to wait the motions of the other; and thence to judge of his pretensions to her favour.

Juliet found the shop empty, but the street door open, and the shopman sauntering before it, to look at the passersby. Glad to be, for a while, at least, spared the distaste of his company, she shut herself into the little parlour, carefully drawing the curtain of the glass door.

The two baronetets, as she expected, soon descended; the younger one eager to take leave of the elder, and privately re-mount the stairs; and Sir Jaspar, fixed to obey the injunctions, however unaccountable, of Juliet, in detaining and keeping sight of him to the last moment.

‘Decamped, I swear, the little vixen!’ exclaimed Sir Lyell, striding in first; ‘but why the d—l do you come down, Sir Jaspar?’

‘For exercise, not ceremony,’ he answered; though, little wanting further exertion, and heartily tired, he dropped down upon the first chair.

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