Lady Tinemouth, seated on the sofa, was leaning thoughtfully against
one of its arms when he re-entered. He approached her.
"I wish you a good-night, Lady Tinemouth."
She turned her head.
"Mr. Constantine, I wish you would stay a little longer with me! My
spirits are disturbed, and I am afraid it will be near morning before
Sophia returns from Richmond. These rural balls are sad, dissipated
amusements!"
Thaddeus laid down his hat and took a seat by her side.
"I am happy, dear Lady Tinemouth, at all times to be with you; but I
am sorry to hear that you have met with any thing to discompose you.
I was afraid when I came in that something disagreeable had happened;
your eyes----"
"Alas! if my eyes were always to show when I have been weeping, they
might ever be telling tales!" Her ladyship passed her hand across
them, while she added, "We may think on our sorrows with an outward
air of tranquillity, but we cannot always speak of them without some
agitation."
"Ah, Lady Tinemouth!" exclaimed the count, drawing closer to her;
"could not even your generous sympathizing heart escape calamity?"
"To cherish a sympathizing heart, my young friend," replied she, "is
not a very effectual way to avoid the pressure of affliction. On the
reverse, such a temper extracts unhappiness from causes which would
fail to extort even a sigh from dispositions of less susceptibility.
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