Alcott, Lousia May - A Long Fatal Love Chase.html by A Long Fatal Love Chase

Author:A Long Fatal Love Chase [Chase, A Long Fatal Love]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"Yes."

Almost inaudible was the low, reluctant, answer, so low that she thought the old man had not heard it and was about to speak again when a burst of exultant laughter startled her like a thunderclap, the curtain was pushed aside and through the grating looked the dark face of Phillip Tempest!

CHAPTER XII

Flee Temptation

Like a bird held by the terrible fascination of a serpent's eye, Rosamond knelt motionless and mute, gazing at that familiar

face as if it were a Gorgon's head which had turned her to stone.

"Dearly beloved, you are pardoned, for that last word cancels all your sins," said Tempest, still smiling. Then, as if impatient

of delay, he left his nook, threw open the door of hers and added, as he gently lifted her, "Sweet saint, come and embrace,

not 'flee temptation.' "

She did not speak but she submitted, for in that moment of surprise her heart turned traitor and cried out within her,

"Let me be happy for a little while, then I will be wise."

Seating himself on the steps of the Confessional, Tempest drew her to his knee, put off the veil and close coif that enveloped her head so that all the beautiful hair came clustering about her face, changing the meek nun into a lovely girl again. Lifting the startled face, Tempest looked long and ardently into the eyes that could not conceal their happiness, but suddenly he clasped her close, exclaiming in a tone which proved how much he had suffered, "Oh, my darling, how could you leave me to believe that I had driven you to your death!"

"You found the paper then, you thought the girl was me?" she asked, so touched by his emotion that she forgot to reproach

or repel, but put her question with a soft hand against his cheek, the caress he used to like so well.

"Yes, how could I help it? Baptiste saw the story in the paper three days after, and we went to the place at once. The body

had been buried, but the note, the name, the description were enough. I would not have your rest disturbed, I left you in the churchyard at Versailles and went away to mourn you for six long months. See, Rose, I have worn this next my heart all this weary while, the last relic of my lost Rose."

He drew out a little velvet case and in it showed her the worn paper and a bit of cambric with her name upon it.

"My handkerchief! Where did you find it, Phillip?"

"Among the rushes where the poor girl was found."

"Ah, I remember, I meant to bathe my face that morning but as I looked into the water I saw my olive skin and knew that the color would be washed away; then I saw the dead body and forgot everything else till that strange thought came to me."

"Baptiste was filled with admiration at the ruse; he is seldom long deceived, but for a time he was entirely baffled and

lamented that such an exciting chase should end so soon.

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