Then laying her head upon her
bosom, she whispered kind words. "You are ill, I fear, my own Anne,
who has been here? What have you seen? How so changed in this short
time? I left you well and smiling, and now--nay, my dear, dear friend,
do not turn from me, and look so utterly wretched. Do not you see me!
What can be the matter!" The Lady Anne looked up in her friend's face
with so piteous and desolate a look, that she began to fear her reason
was affected.
"Have I lost your confidence? Am I no longer loved?" said the Lady
Ellinor. "Can you sit heart-broken there, and will not allow me to
comfort you? Still no answer! Shall I go? Shall I leave you, my love?
Do you wish me absent?" continued she in a trembling voice, the tears
flowing over her face, as she rose up. Her motion to depart aroused
the Lady Anne. "Ellinor! my Ellinor!" she cried, and throwing herself
forward, she stretched forth her arms. In another moment she was
weeping on the bosom of her friend. She wept for a long time without
restraint, for the Lady Ellinor said nothing, but drew her nearer and
nearer to her bosom, and tenderly pressed the hand that was clasped in
hers.
"I ought not to be weeping here," at length she said, "I ought to let
you leave me, but I have not the courage, I cannot bear to lose your
friendship,--your affection, my Ellinor! Can you love me? Have you
loved me, knowing all the while, as every one must? To-day--this very
hour, since you left me, I learned:--no I cannot tell you! Look on
that page, Ellinor, you will see why you find me thus.
Pages:
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63