THE WIDOW BARNABY.
BY FRANCES TROLLOPE,
AUTHOR OF "THE VICAR OF WREXHILL," "A ROMANCE OF VIENNA," ETC.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
1839.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,
Dorset Street, Fleet Street.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE WIDOW BARNABY.
CHAPTER I.
MRS. BARNABY LOSES HER SENSES, AND RECOVERS THEM.—SHE TAKES A DESPERATERESOLUTION.—MISS MORRISON PROVES HERSELF A FRIEND IN NEED.—AGNES FINDSCONSOLATION IN SORROW.
Mrs. Barnaby's horror on recovering her senses (for she really did fallinto a swoon) was in very just proportion to the extent of the outlayher noble vision had cost her. To Miss Morrison, who had listened to allher hopes, she scrupled not to manifest her despair, not, however,entering into the financial part of it, but leaving it to be understoodby her sympathizing friend, that her agony proceeded wholly fromdisappointed love.
"What a Lovelace!... what a Lothario!... what a finished deceiver!...Keloreur!..." exclaimed the pitying spinster.... "And how thankfulought I to be that no man can ever again cause me such terribleemotion.... Nong jammy!"
"Gracious Heaven! what is to become of me?" cried Mrs. Barnaby,apparently but little consoled by this assurance of her friend'sexemption from a similar misfortune; "what ought I to do, MissMorrison?... If I set off instantly for London, do you think I couldreach it before he leaves it for Rome?"
Miss Morrison, having turned to the newspaper, examined its date, andread the fatal paragraph again, replied, "You certainly could, my dearMrs. Barnaby, if this statement be correct; but I would not do it, if Iwere you, without thinking very seriously about it.... It is true Inever had a lord for a lover myself, but I believe when they runrestive, they are exceedingly difficult to hold; and if you do go afterhim, and fail at last to touch his cruel heart, you will be only worseoff than you are now.... Say clare."
"That may be all very true in one sense, Miss Morrison," replied theunhappy widow; "but there is such a thing as pursuing a man lawfully forbreach of promise of marriage, and ... though money is no object tome ... I should glory in getting damages from him, if only to prove tothe world that he is a scoundrel!"
"That is quite another thing, indeed," said the confidant, "toot afay; and, if you mean to bring an action against him, I am pretty surethat