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273 plans without a visitation of remorse. She appeared so deeply impressed and shocked at this new view of human nature-- excluded from all her studies and all her ideas till now--that Mr. Edgar deemed it unnecessary to pursue the subject. He merely added: “You will know hereafter, darling, why I wish you to avoid his house and family; now, return to your old employments and amusements, and think no more about them!” Catherine kissed her father, and sat down quietly to her lessons for a couple of hours, according to custom; then she accompanied him into the grounds, and the whole day passed as usual; but in the evening, when she had retired to her room, and I went to help her to undress, I found her crying, on her knees by the bedside. “Oh, fie, silly child!” I exclaimed. “If you had any real griefs, you’d be ashamed to waste a tear on this little contrariety. You never had one shadow of substantial sorrow, Miss Catherine. Suppose, for a minute, that master and I were dead, and you were by yourself in the world,--how would you feel then? Compare the present occasion with such an affliction as that, and be thankful for the friends you have, instead of coveting more.” “I’m not crying for myself, Ellen,” she answered, “it’s for him. He expected to see me again tomorrow, and there, he’ll be so disappointed--and he’ll wait for me, and I shan’t come!” “Nonsense!” said I, “do you imagine he has thought as much of you as you have of him? Hasn’t he Hareton for a companion? Not one in a hundred would weep at losing a relation they had just seen twice, for two afternoons--Linton will conjecture how it is, and trouble himself no further about you.” “But may I not write a note to tell him why I cannot come?” she |