Continuing the narrative that began here.
Part 23.
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Letter the Twenty- Ninth: Miss Honoria Wells to Miss Amelia Purvis.
Dearest Amelia,——
Your Letter was at once a Consolation to me, and a Source of new Worries and Fears. That you have had no more Correspondence from George than I, shews at least that I have no Reason to suppose his Love for me abated: But O! my Heart, liberated from one Fear, straightway makes itself Slave to another, and I imagine Things infinitely worse! How well I know that other Heroines have imagined such Things, only to find the truth surpassing their worst Fears. Was not the illustrious Izalla warned of the capture of her Albertino by a premonitory Vision? Did not a wondrously loquacious Jack-daw bring news of her Angelo’s mortal Wound to the ever-suffering Elizabetta? Nay, did not the accurate Pen of M. de Scudery himself record the extraordinary Signs that attended upon the Death of Aziz?—Signs which, marvellous to tell, the sagacious Zalmanara correctly interpreted, whereupon she fainted dead away.
I tell you candidly, my dear Amelia, that I have seen certain Signs or Wonders in these past Days, such as an ordinary Mind might pass over, but one so well educated in the Histories of illustrious Women as you or I cannot but interpret as evil Omens. Yesterday in the Morning a great Bird was seen soaring in circular Evolutions over the House; I am certain it was much larger than a common Hawk. Later in the same Day, a powerful Storm blew for the better Part of an Hour. This morning Mother left her Chamber to walk in the Garden, which is the most extraordinary sign of all.
Now what I am about to tell you will cause you to doubt my Sanity; but I shall tell you in any Event, trusting in your own feminine Heart to tell you to what Extremities a Woman can be driven if the Man she loves is in danger. I have determined that, if George should not be heard from within the Week, I shall travel to Grimthorne myself, without the Consent or Permission, or even the Knowledge, of my Mother and Father. How I have longed to leave this place! And now, with my beloved George captured and impressed in a Turkish Galley, I have no Reason to stay, and every Reason Love can muster to fly to his Side.
Farewell, my dear Sister; you alone, among all Mankind, are privy to my Plans. Pray do not betray the Trust I have placed in you: For I remain,
your faithful Friend and Sister,
Honoria.
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