Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-24
CHAPTER XIV.
THE COURSE OF RALPH's LOVE.

CHAPTER XIV.
THE COURSE OF RALPH's LOVE.
One would fancy, looking at the matter
from superficial point ofview, now that poor
Albert cambridge is dead and safely out Of
the way, all Ralph Eglinton's matrimonial
difficulties will disappear, like chaff before the
wind, and his life glide on smoothly, season
of calm content. Wayward and INDUCED by
the world, courted in society, talented, bril-
liant possessed of unusual graces of person
and manners, accustomed to have his own
way and win all he sought, he now fancied he
would soon realize his fondest and proudest
hopes. Not so, however, as Ralph soon dis
covered to his cost. Florimond seemed de-
termined to checkmate him on every side, and
by continuous opposition to his wishes, and a
constant placing of difficulties in his path, to
elevate his passion to the highest pitch of in
teusity. Not that such was her object but
rather, that her coyness, willfulness and obsti-
nate reserve, was followed by this result, for
the more difficult the pursuit, the more deter
mined was Ralph never to relinquish her un-
til he was crowned with the laurels Of success.
But she sometimes tantalized him almost be-
yond endurance. The truth is, for a time,
Florimonds words were as uncertain as an
Iceandic geyser, and not even Ralph's fascl-
nations could always dispel the noirs vapeurs
other melancholy mind. At other times she
would be the fondest, the most conGding, the
most fascinating of created beings! Well,
variety is everything in life, and toyours per-
drir WILL at last, satiate the heathiest appetite.
Not much chance for Ralph to become satia-
ted On the other hand, her willfulness and
obstinacy to his fond wishes, persisting as she
did, in postponing the wedding'day to the
longest possible time, sometimes made him
feel as if he was bordering on the verge of in
sanity. In the first place, she was invisible to
DR.. Eginton for more than three weeks after
the reception of the news of Col. Dandridge's
death. In vain, he called every day; sent in
offerings of the sweetest flowers and most lus-
cious fruits wrote her beseeching notes, i'm
ploring only few moments interview; lin
gered around the house after night-fall, ho-
ping to catch only glimpse of her at the
window, until at last he was wrought up to
such state of hopelessness, irritation and an
noyance, he vowed he almost hated her, and
he would not go near her again. To this re-
solve he kept true for four whole days /! and
then felt as if he would die or 60 mad, if he
did not see her. So he arrayed himself in an
immaculate suit, fresh from fashionable tail
ors hands, stuck rosebud in his button-hole,
and could not drive fast enough to the house
which contained his hearts treasure. Mrs.
Ravenswood's parlor door was slightly ajar,
and looking in, the blood quickened in Ralph's
veins, for he saw her standing at the window.
He entered without knocking. Florimond
turned and advanced few steps to meet him,
offering her hand, with joyful glance and a
flush of pleasure on her face, she said
"Ah and have you come at last? feared
you were offended with me. I am so glad to
see you."
"And ifyou are glad to see me, said Ralph,
looking with eager tenderness into her beauti-
full eyes, "what words can express my happi'
ness at seeing you!"
Florimond's cheeks, so pale before he came,
now rivalled the hues of the flowers he had
brought her, and with murmured thanks she
bent low over them.
"Why did you not come yesterdayS" she
asked in soft reproacb, "and the day before,
and the day before that?"
"And why did you not see me last week,
and the week before, and the week before
that?" heretorted. In reply, Florimond gave
him halfhesitating, fond, reproachful glance,
which made him forget all the tortures of the
last few weeks and filled his heart with a de-
lirium of happiness On the whole, this first
interview was eminently satisfactory. Flori-
mond was gentle confding sympathetic-in
short, lovely as an angel, All the next day
Ralph could think of nothing else; he could
not get her out of his mind, and he went
through his professional duties laboriously,
longing for the day to be over, that he might
fly to the beloved presence. Unfortunately,
at night-fall, he was detained by a case of sud-
den illness, which made him little late. The
parlor door was closed, and no one coming to
his summons, Ralph opened the door without
any further ceremony and entered. Berta
was just coming in from the adjoining room.
"Oh! uncle Ralph, is it your"
"Yes, ma chere, where is mammal"
II will tell her." said Berta and return
ing almost Immediately, mamma is so sorry
she rather expected you tonight, but as you
! did not come until so late, she has gone to bed
with bad headache"
For almost week Florimond was again
invisible.
"What does make her treat me so2" NUT
tered Ralph, throwing himself in despair on
a chair; "come here. Berta. Tell me the
truth, child, is your mother really sick2"
"She is, indeed-she eats nothing at all, and
cries all the time"
He was dashing off few hasty, passionate
lines to her, when she entered the room.
"Mon Dieat" exclaimed Ralph, looking at
her pale, wan face, with sundry compunctions
of conscience for his recent unjust suspicious
"What have you been doing to yourself
You have been really ill, Florimond!"