ABSTRACT
Before Glenarvon had met Elinor upon the clift,a he had conducted Lady Avondale to her father’s house. The first person who came forward to meet them was Sir Richard. ‘My dear child,’ he said, ‘what could have induced you to take in such a serious manner what was meant in jest? There is your aunt dying in one room; and every one in fits or mad in different parts of the house. The whole thing will be known all over the country; and the worst of it is, when people talk, they never know what they say, and add, and add, till it makes a terrible story. But come in, do; for if the world speak ill of you, I will protect you: and as to my Lord Glenarvon / there, why it seems after all he is a very good sort of fellow; and had no mind to have you; which is what I hinted at before you set out, and might have saved you a long walk, if you would only have listened to reason. But come in, do; for all the people are staring at you, as if they had never seen a woman before. Not but what I must say, such a comical one, so hot and hasty, I never happened to meet with; which is my fault, and not your’s. Therefore, come in; for I hate people to do any thing that excites observation. There now; did not I tell you so? Here are all your relations perfectly crazy: and we shall have a scene in the great hall, if you don’t make haste and get up stairs before they meet you.’ ‘Where is she? where is she?’ said Mrs. Seymour; and she wept at beholding her. But Calantha could not weep: her heart seemed like ice within her: she could neither weep nor speak. ‘My child, my Calantha,’ / said Mrs. Seymour, ‘welcome back.’ Then turning to Glenarvon, whose tears flowed fast, ‘receive my prayers, my thanks for this,’ she exclaimed. ‘God rewardb you for restoring my child to me.’
