I could not help it, I
drew her down, and kissed her brow; Clarence clasped her other hand
and held it to his lips, but neither of us could utter a word.
She turned back and went quietly away through the wood, while Emily
sank down under the beech-tree in a paroxysm of grief. You may see
which it was, for Clarence cut out 'E. M. F., 1835' upon the bark.
He soothed and caressed poor Emily as in old nursery troubles; and
presently she told us that it would be long before we saw that dear
one again, for Mrs. Fordyce was going to take her away on the
morrow.
Mrs. Fordyce had seen Emily in private, before letting her go to
Ellen. There was evidently a great wish to be kind. Mrs. Fordyce
said she could never forget what she owed to us all, and could not
think of blaming any of us. 'But,' she said, 'you are a sensible
girl, Emily,'--'how I hate being called a sensible girl,' observed
the poor child, in parenthesis,--'and you must see that it is
desirable not to encourage her to indulge in needless discussion
after she once understands the facts.' She added that she thought a
cessation of present intercourse would be wise till the sore was in
some degree healed. She had not been satisfied about her daughter's
health for some time, and meant to take her to Bath the next day to
consult a physician, and then decide what would be best.
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