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The Romancist and Novelist's Library (1842)
The Romancist and Novelist's Library - 1842 Author:William Hazlitt Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: sober and serious disposition which would be so essential to your happiness. If other reasons were required, I could name several, which would in my opinion, as ... more »well as in that of my parents, be considered as insuperable objections ; but if there were no other, the fact that I entertain towards you no sentiment but that of esteem, would be suffieient to warrant me in giving a negative answer to your proposal." Tho clergyman heard this response with feelings scarcely less enviable than those which we may suppose to rack the bosom of the culprit who listens to lils sentence of death." He looked pale and dejected, his eyes were cast upon the floor, and a tear trickled slowly down his nose, and fell upon the flower which he still held betwixt his fingers. He offered not a word more, for the refusal had been so prompt and decided, that nothing was left him to say that could possibly alter the unfavourable aspect of his cause. Alice was moved by the uncomfortable appearance of her rejected wooer. She would have done something to alleviate his distress, but scarcely knew what to say, unless she should recall her words, and permit him to cherish the hope of better success at some future time. Of this she could not think, and was therefore obliged to let him chew the cud of hitter thoughts, simply assuring him that, although she could never stand to him in the relation which he desired to establish, she hoped to enjoy his friendship for many a year to come. Before the termination of their interview, however, Mr Strong had nearly recovered his usual cheerfulness, and after spending an hour or more in conversation upon various topies, took his departure. On his way home he resolved not to suffer himself to be discouraged by one rebuff, as he had known instances—indeed his own father...« less