"Hawthorne, Nathaniel - Lady Eleanores Mantle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawthorne Nathaniel)

But while the by-standers were attempting to lead away the
unfortunate young man, he broke from them, and with a wild,
impassioned earnestness, offered a new and equally strange petition to
Lady Eleanore. It was no other than that she should throw off the
mantle, which, while he pressed the silver cup of wine upon her, she
had drawn more closely around her form, so as almost to shroud herself
within it.

"Cast it from you!" exclaimed Jervase Helwyse, clasping his hands
in an agony of entreaty. "It may not yet be too late! Give the
accursed garment to the flames!"

But Lady Eleanore, with a laugh of scorn, drew the rich folds of
the embroidered mantle over her head, in such a fashion as to give a
completely new aspect to her beautiful face, which- half hidden,
half revealed- seemed to belong to some being of mysterious
character and purposes.

Farewell, Jervase Helwyse!" said she. "Keep my image in your
remembrance, as you behold it now."

"Alas, lady!" he replied, in a tone no longer wild, but sad as a
funeral bell. "We must meet shortly, when your face may wear another
aspect- and that shall be the image that must abide within me."

He made no more resistance to the violent efforts of the
gentlemen and servants, who almost dragged him out of the apartment,
and dismissed him roughly from the iron gate of the Province House.
Captain Langford, who had been very active in this affair, was
returning to the presence of Lady Eleanore Rochcliffe, when he
encountered the physician, Doctor Clarke, with whom he had held some
casual talk on the day of her arrival. The Doctor stood apart,
separated from Lady Eleanore by the width of the room, but eying her
with such keen sagacity that Captain Langford involuntarily gave him
credit for the discovery of some deep secret.

"You appear to be smitten, after all, with the charms of this
queenly maiden," said he, hoping thus to draw forth the physician's
hidden knowledge.

"God forbid!" answered Doctor Clarke, with a grave smile; "and if
you be wise you will put up the same prayer for yourself. Wo to
those who shall be smitten by this beautiful Lady Eleanore! But yonder
stands the Governor- and I have a word or two for his private ear.
Good night!"

He accordingly advanced to Governor Shute, and addressed him in
so low a tone that none of the by-standers could catch a word of
what he said, although the sudden change of his Excellency's