It
was then the conviction that a reconciliation between her parents was
now impossible, in which her despair originated, and she pictured to
herself her father once more at Arqua disturbed, perhaps, for a day
or two, as he naturally must be, by an interview so sudden and so
harassing; shedding a tear, perhaps, in secret to the wife whom he had
injured, and the child whom he had scarcely seen; but relapsing, alike
from the force of habit and inclination, into those previous and
confirmed feelings, under whose influence, she was herself a witness,
his life had been so serene, and even so laudable. She was confirmed
in these opinions by the circumstance of their never having heard
since from him. Placed in his situation, if indeed an irresistible
influence were not controlling him, would he have hesitated for a
moment to have prevented even their departure, or to have pursued
them; to have sought at any rate some means of communicating with
them? He was plainly reconciled to his present position, and felt that
under these circumstances silence on his part was alike kindest and
most discreet. Venetia had ceased, therefore, to question the justice
or the expediency, or even the abstract propriety, of her mother's
conduct. She viewed their condition now as the result of stern
necessity.
Pages:
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539