“Leave us.”
“Your conduct is perfectly shocking, Sarah!” began the grim lady. But
Sarah, as harshly as if she had been speaking to a servant, cut her
short, saying,--
“You are in the way, and I beg you will leave the room.”
Mrs. Brian did so without saying a word; and the countess sank into an
arm-chair, as if overcome by a sudden good fortune which she was not
able to endure, looking intensely at Daniel, who stood in the centre of
the room like a statue.
She had on a simple black merino dress; she wore no jewelry; but her
marvellous, fatal beauty seemed to be all the more dazzling. The years
had passed over her without leaving any more traces on her than the
spring breeze leaves on a half-opened rose. Her hair still shone with
its golden flashes; her rosy lips smiled sweetly; and her velvet eyes
caressed you still, till hot fire seemed to run in your veins.
Once before Daniel had been thus alone with her; and, as the sensations
he then felt rose in his mind, he began to tremble violently. Then,
thinking of his purpose in coming here, and the treacherous part he was
about to act, he felt a desire to escape.