The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

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A St rail oe Revcnoe. 33^
Providence as well as family policy had decreed the
prospect. True, this had been formally arranged, and
Flora had taken up her residence at the Castle, in the
absence of David, though with his cognisance. That, how-
ever, did not excuse his weakness in giving way to a
passionate love for his brother's betrothed. In loyalty to
him he should have striven against that domestic treason,
at all hazards, if necessary even by fleeing his own home.
Instead, he had courted temptation by living under the
same roof, courting her company, and conspiring in the
insane act of tearing his own heart to pieces. Old Carew
never wrote truer couplet—
"Then fly betimes, for only they
Conquer love, tha^ run away,"
as David had found, and was fated still to learn, in his.
bitter experience.
It occurred one day as he, book in hand, wandered
through the more secluded walks in the grounds. As he
passed the ivy-grown, flower-scented retreat, known domes-
tically as the hermitage, the sound of violent sobbing
arrested his attention. Entering the place silently, he found
Flora convulsed in tears. Then it was that the fierce love
of this calm-nerved, outwardly composed, budding doctor^
overwhelmed his reason ;
and
he stayed when he should
have flown, spoke when it had been better had his lips been
stitched together like a horrible gaping wound.
"You may not tell me." he had said, in the irresponsible
frenzy of his love passion, " but I know well the cause of
your grief I will tell you !
It is because Richard's heart
is not true, because he prefers too often the professor's
daughter to your company !
Speak
I not correctly? l^ut
oh, darling, there are truer hearts around }'ou. From the
first hour I saw you, dear Flora, I have loved
"
With a cry, a deep agonised cry, she leapt to her feet at
the words, and the condemning flash of her eyes cemented
him to the oaken flooring, as he knelt there, the cruel
helpless picture of love's ihame.