After leaving Mrs Hyland's house, I had much to occupy my thoughts.
The principal subject that engaged their attention was the wonderful
beauty of Lenore.
She was beautiful; and she professed to be my friend. But while I felt
a consoling pride in possessing the friendship of one so lovely, there
was much that was unpleasant in the thought that her mother could, even
for an instant, have believed me guilty of the grave charges brought
against me by Adkins.
To be thought ungrateful by one who had treated me with so much
kindness, and more especially one who was the mother of Lenore, was a
reflection full of bitterness.
Adkins had now done enough to make me his deadly enemy. He had never
used me well aboard ship; and would have caused me still more trouble
there had he not been restrained by his fear of Captain Hyland. He had
turned me out of the ship in New Orleans. He had returned to Liverpool,
and accused me of the basest of crimes.
But what was still more unpleasant to dwell upon; he was endeavouring to
deprive me of what was of almost equal consequence with my character--of
her whom I had hoped might one day become my wife. Yes, there could be
no doubt of the fact. He was trying to win Lenore.
This last I could scarce look upon as a crime on his part. To aspire to
win one so lovely was no crime; and one who should do so would only be
acting as Nature commanded.
But at that time, I did not view it in this light; and the idea of
Edward Adkins aspiring to the hand of Lenore Hyland was proof to me that
he was the vilest wretch that ever encumbered the earth.
For a while, I forgot my hatred for Mr Leary in my dislike to Mr
Adkins.
Hatred with me had never before reached a thirst for revenge; but to
this degree of hostility had it attained, within an hour after leaving
Lenore.
But what could I do? When my enemy returned, I could confront him in
presence of Lenore and her mother. I could make one statement, which he
would certainly contradict by making another. I was in a country where
the laws do not allow a man any chance of obtaining redress for the
cruellest wrong, or insult, he may suffer.