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Article THE BEAUTIFUL HAND. ← Page 6 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Beautiful Hand.
of her there from my AvindoAV . Be that as it may , I found her in the garden , and alone . Examining the A-arious coloured and glossy leaves of a small tree , there stood the pale young AvidoAV , but paler than she appeared even in the twilight of the previous evening . I felt aAvkAvardly , and though not actually taken by surprise , I could not determine exactl y IIOAV I should approach her . The garden AA'alk turned and brought my face iu the same direction Avith hers . I walked onbut step after step
, grew slower and shorter , until I Avas at her side . She looked up in my face as innocently as a child , Avith the most beautiful eyes , and quiet countenance I ever beheld . After a salutation as gentle as I had voice and words fo make it , we strolled slowly about the garden , examiniug the leaves and floAvers , and saying little ; but that little Avas full of confidence ancl kind emotions . Indeed I felt at the time that , after my coiiiimmicatioii to her , hoAvever subdued our manner Avas to each other ,
the very fact of our Avalking together in the garden , Avas tantamount to a mutual declaration of love . Yet she Avas a widow . Young , and beautiful beyond any other creature I had ever seen , with the open unfearing innocence of childhood itself , and cultivation that made her , indeed , an intellectual being . Had she not been a AvidoAV I could have really adored her ; but the move I felt how far she was superior to other Avomen , the more repugnant became the idea of being " a second husband . ' '
Still Ave lingered in the garden , until Ave Avere both sensible that Ave had remained quite long enough to have our names pronounced together by every person in the house ; Ave Avere neither of us , hoAvever , the kind of beings to regard such things very much . As Ave approached the door to enter the house , I took occasion to allude to my intended departure that evening , and begged permission to ask for her previously , in order to take my leave ; the permission Avas granted readily , ancl
Avith delicious tones of voice ; but these tones did not express to my ear the disappointment and regret I had expected to detect in her ansAver ; ancl I felt a slight mortification as Ave separated for the morning . Perfectly at a loss IIOAV to occupy myself the feAv hours remaining before the departure of the steamer , I bethought me that it Avould be proper to make a visit to the old bachelor merchant . At his countinghouse reading the papers , and in the streets walking sloAvly and listlessly about , I occupied myself until it Avas time to prepare for setting oil ' . The idea , hoAvever , of leaving Neiv York at that moment , Avas far
less agreeable than 1 had anticipated . The first thing to do was to take leave of the AVICIOAV , then to pay my bill , ancl fly . I asked for her , and Avas slieAvn into her OAVII draAving room . It Avas some little time before she appeared . We Avere , evidently enough to each other , both some-Avhat embarrassed , and sat at a very respectful distance apart . A strange sort of conversation ensued , in Avhich there Avas nothing said about ourselves or my departure . At length , after a perfect silence of a moment or two , I rose and walked up to her Avitli my hand extended
to say fareAvell ; she gave me hers , rising and looking me in the face with an expression thatcompletely overpowered me . It was not the look of confident or ardent love ; not the look of painful agitation , Avhich a fond Avoman might Avear at such a moment ; it Avas such a look of resignation and gentleness as a child who loved A / Avould unconsciously put on at the instant of separation . "I Avish , " said I , still holding her hand ; " I wish I were not going . " " Wliy , then , do you go ? " she enquired as earnestly as artlessly .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Beautiful Hand.
of her there from my AvindoAV . Be that as it may , I found her in the garden , and alone . Examining the A-arious coloured and glossy leaves of a small tree , there stood the pale young AvidoAV , but paler than she appeared even in the twilight of the previous evening . I felt aAvkAvardly , and though not actually taken by surprise , I could not determine exactl y IIOAV I should approach her . The garden AA'alk turned and brought my face iu the same direction Avith hers . I walked onbut step after step
, grew slower and shorter , until I Avas at her side . She looked up in my face as innocently as a child , Avith the most beautiful eyes , and quiet countenance I ever beheld . After a salutation as gentle as I had voice and words fo make it , we strolled slowly about the garden , examiniug the leaves and floAvers , and saying little ; but that little Avas full of confidence ancl kind emotions . Indeed I felt at the time that , after my coiiiimmicatioii to her , hoAvever subdued our manner Avas to each other ,
the very fact of our Avalking together in the garden , Avas tantamount to a mutual declaration of love . Yet she Avas a widow . Young , and beautiful beyond any other creature I had ever seen , with the open unfearing innocence of childhood itself , and cultivation that made her , indeed , an intellectual being . Had she not been a AvidoAV I could have really adored her ; but the move I felt how far she was superior to other Avomen , the more repugnant became the idea of being " a second husband . ' '
Still Ave lingered in the garden , until Ave Avere both sensible that Ave had remained quite long enough to have our names pronounced together by every person in the house ; Ave Avere neither of us , hoAvever , the kind of beings to regard such things very much . As Ave approached the door to enter the house , I took occasion to allude to my intended departure that evening , and begged permission to ask for her previously , in order to take my leave ; the permission Avas granted readily , ancl
Avith delicious tones of voice ; but these tones did not express to my ear the disappointment and regret I had expected to detect in her ansAver ; ancl I felt a slight mortification as Ave separated for the morning . Perfectly at a loss IIOAV to occupy myself the feAv hours remaining before the departure of the steamer , I bethought me that it Avould be proper to make a visit to the old bachelor merchant . At his countinghouse reading the papers , and in the streets walking sloAvly and listlessly about , I occupied myself until it Avas time to prepare for setting oil ' . The idea , hoAvever , of leaving Neiv York at that moment , Avas far
less agreeable than 1 had anticipated . The first thing to do was to take leave of the AVICIOAV , then to pay my bill , ancl fly . I asked for her , and Avas slieAvn into her OAVII draAving room . It Avas some little time before she appeared . We Avere , evidently enough to each other , both some-Avhat embarrassed , and sat at a very respectful distance apart . A strange sort of conversation ensued , in Avhich there Avas nothing said about ourselves or my departure . At length , after a perfect silence of a moment or two , I rose and walked up to her Avitli my hand extended
to say fareAvell ; she gave me hers , rising and looking me in the face with an expression thatcompletely overpowered me . It was not the look of confident or ardent love ; not the look of painful agitation , Avhich a fond Avoman might Avear at such a moment ; it Avas such a look of resignation and gentleness as a child who loved A / Avould unconsciously put on at the instant of separation . "I Avish , " said I , still holding her hand ; " I wish I were not going . " " Wliy , then , do you go ? " she enquired as earnestly as artlessly .