Pagina 585 di 1118

The proposition appeared frightful to Gertrude; to lose Lucy in

any manner would have seemed to her a misfortune, a punishment;

and to deprive herself of her with criminal perfidy, to add to

her crimes by dealing treacherously with the confiding girl, was

to take away the only gleam of virtuous enjoyment which had shone

upon her mysterious and wicked career. She tried every method to

avoid obedience; every method, except the only infallible one,

that was in her power. Crime is a severe and inflexible master,

against whom we are strong only when we entirely rebel. Gertrude

could not resolve on that, and obeyed.

The day agreed on came; the hour approached; Gertrude, alone with

Lucy, bestowed on her more caresses than ordinary, which the poor

girl returned with increasing tenderness, as the lamb licks the

hand of the shepherd who entices it without the fold into the

murderous power of the butcher who there awaits it.