New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-19

opstra, that began 10 be AFRAID my dearee
Dombey, you were quite Bashsw.
assure you, madam" said Mr.. Donbey. d" |
have laid no commands on Florence; and II had.
there are no commands hike your wish"
My dear Dombey, replied Cleopatrs. what
courter you art Though | u not say 90 either.
for courtiers have heart and yoars perva des
your charming hfe and character. Add are you
really going 50 early, my dear Dombeyr'
Oh indeed Il Was late. and Mr.. Dombey feared
he must
Is this fact or is il all dream p Rsped Cleo
pstra- Can believe, my dearest Dombey, that
that you are coming back TO morrow morning TO de-
prive me Of my sweet com anion, my own Edith"
Mr. Dombey, who was accustomed to take things
literally reminded Mr. Skewton iha, they were TO
meet first at the church.
d. The pang." said Mrs Skewton. " OF consisnins
a child even 10 you, my dear Dombey 10 one OF
the most excrucatng imaginable and combined
with naturally delicate constitution, and the en-
treme stupidity Of the pastry cook who has under
taken the breakfast 10 almost TOO much tor my po1
strength. But shall rally my dear Dombey. in
the morning DO not fear for me. or be uneasy on
my account Heaven bless you My dearest
Edith! she cried archly. Somebody " going.
pet
Edith, who had turned her head Al ain tow ard the
window, and whose interest in their conversation
bad ceased, rose up IN her place, but made no sd-
vance toward HIM and said nothug Mr. Dombey.
with a lofty gal sntry adapted To his dignity and
the occasion betook his creakmg boots tow ard her
put her hand 10 his lips said, To morrow morning
shall have the happiness OF claiming this hand
Mrs. Dombeys. and bowed himself soemny out.
Mrs. Skewton rang for candles the
house door had closed upon him. With thecsndles
appeared her maid, with the juvenile dress that
I Was 20 deude the world tomorrow. The dress
had savage retrlbu,ion In IT, as such dresses ever
have. and made her infinitely older and more hide
Gus than her greasy flannel gown. But Mrs. Skew.
ton tried II on with mincing satisfaction. smrked
81 h.r. ali fha ugHf
| OF its killing effect upon the Major and suffering
her maid 10 take 1t of again and to prepare her for
repose, tumbed into ruins like a house OF painted
cards.
All this time Edith remained at the dark window
looking out into the street When she and her mo
Their were at last left alone, she moved from IL tor
the first time that evening. and came opposite 70
her The yswuing, shaking, peevish figure OF the
mother with her eyes raised TO confront the proud
erect form OF the daughter whose glance Of fire was
bent downward upon her had a conscious air upon
it, that no eyity or temper could conceal
Il am tired to death. said she. You can { be
trusted for a moment. You worse than a child
Child No child would be half so obstinate and un-
dutul'
Listen % me, mother, returned Edith. passing
these words by with a scorn that would not descend
to trihe with them. You must remain alone here
until return
Must remain alone here Edith, until you re-.
turn ~ repeated her mother.
row to witness what DO, so falsely and so shame.
fully. swear l will refuse the hand OF this man In
the Church. II do not may tall dead upon tho
pavement
The mother answered with look of quick alarm.
in no degree diminished by the look she met
1t is enough said Edith, steadily, that We
are what we are. | will have no youth and truth
dragged down to my level will have no guile
less nature undermined, corrupted, and perverted.
! 10 amuse the leisure of world of mothers You
, know my meaning. Florence must go home
"You are an idiot, Edith" cried her angry mo
, Their do you expect there ever be peace for
you in tina, house, till she is married, and away T.
r Ask me, or ask yourself, If ever expect peace
in that house said her daughter, and you know
t the answer
And am | to be told tonight, after all my pains
, and labor, and when you are gong, through rne 70
be rendered independent" her mother almost
shriehed in her passion, while her pasled head
shook like leaf that there Is corruption and con
, tagion in me, and that am not hi company tor
grill What are you, pray What are you
4" | have put the question to myself, said Edith,
asty pale aud pointing to the window, more than
, once when | have been sitting there, and someth.
D ing in the faded likeness OF my sex has wandered
I pest outside and God knows have met with my
, reply. Oh, mother mother If you had but len
me 20 my natural heart when too was girl-s
Younger girl than FlOrence-how different might
have beeni"
, Sensible that any show of anger was useless
. here hermother restrained herself and fell whmp.
erng aud bewaicd that she had lived too long and
, that her only child had cast her oil, and that duty
, toward parents forgotten In these evil days.
and that she had heard unnatural taants and cared
, for life no longer.
IF one is 70 go on living through continual scenes
like this, she whined am sure Il would be much
better for to think OF some means OF putting an
end 10 my existence Oh the idea of your being
my daughter Edith, and addressing me In such q
strain
Between US mother" returned Edith mourn.
fully the time tor mutual reproaches is past
Then why do you revive II !" whimpered her
mother You know that you are decorating me IN
the cruellest manner. You know how sensitive
am 10 unkindness At such moment too, when
have 50 much 10 think OF, and am naturally anxious
10 appear to the best advantage wonder sr you,
Edith. To make your mother fright upon your
wedding day"
Edith beut the same liked look upon her, as she
sobbed and rubbed her eyes and said in the same
low steady voice which had neither nsen nor
fallen since she first addressed her, d" have said
that Florence must go home"
Let her gow cried the afflicted and atnghted
parent hastily. d" / am sure am willing she should
20. What is the girl to me
She is so much ~ me- that rather than com
municate. suffer 10 be communicated 10 her, one
grain of the evil that is my breast. mother, would
renounce you, | would f you gave me causel
renoance him in the church 70 morrow replied
Edith. cave her alone She shall not, while l
can interpose be tempered with and tainted by the
lessons have learned. This is no hard condition
on this bitter night
lfyou had proposed il ina flial manner. Edith
whined her mother perhaps not very likely not
Blu, such extremely cutting words
They are past and at an end betweenus, now,
said Edith Take your own way, mother share
as you please in what you have gained spend,
enjoy, make much OF il and be as happy az you
viii The object OF our lives Is won. Henceforth
let us wear Il silently. Ny lips are closed upon the
past from this hour. forgive you your part IN 20.
morrows wickedness. May God forgive my own
Without tremor Ia her voice, or frame ana Pn
sing onward with a foot that set itself upon inc
neck OF every soft emotion she babe her motne'
good night and repaired TO her own room,
But not 70 rest TOR there was no rest 10 'ne Va
mutt Of her agitation when alone TO ana iro, ana
% and fro and ~ and fro again, i've hundred tunes
among the splendid preparations tor her adornment
49, ~ n,o,,av with her dark hair shaken down,
her dark eyes flashing with raging light, her broad
white bosom red with the cruel grasp Of the relent
less hands with which she spurDed from her pacing
40 and down with syerted head, as II she would
avoid the sight Of her own fair person, and divorce
i 81 -