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Reade, Charles, 1814-1884

"A Simpleton"

"
Upon this Phoebe put him a question, and found him ready to do anything
for her, in reason--provided he was paid for it. And the end of it all
was, the prisoner was conveyed to London; Phoebe got the requisite sum;
Falcon was deposited in a third-class carriage bound for Essex. Phoebe
paid his debt, and gave Cartwright a present, and away rattled the train
conveying the handsome egotist into temporary retirement, to wit, at
a village five miles from the Dales' farm. She was too ashamed of her
young gentleman and herself to be seen with him in her native village.
On the road down he was full of little practical attentions; she
received them coldly; his mellifluous mouth was often at her car,
pouring thanks and praises into it; she never vouchsafed a word of
reply. All she did was to shudder now and then, and cry at intervals.
Yet, whenever he left her side, her whole body became restless; and when
he came back to her, a furtive thrill announced the insane complacency
his bare contact gave her. Surely, of all the forms in which love
torments the heart, this was the most terrible and pitiable.

Mr. Lusignan found his daughter in tears.
"Why, what is the matter now?" said he, a little peevishly.


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