Pagina 34 de 483

She indeed veiled her grief and strove to act the comforter to us

all. She looked steadily on life and assumed its duties with

courage and zeal. She devoted herself to those whom she had been

taught to call her uncle and cousins. Never was she so enchanting

as at this time, when she recalled the sunshine of her smiles and

spent them upon us. She forgot even her own regret in her

endeavours to make us forget.

The day of my departure at length arrived. Clerval spent the last

evening with us. He had endeavoured to persuade his father to

permit him to accompany me and to become my fellow student, but

in vain. His father was a narrow-minded trader and saw idleness

and ruin in the aspirations and ambition of his son. Henry deeply

felt the misfortune of being debarred from a liberal education.

He said little, but when he spoke I read in his kindling eye and

in his animated glance a restrained but firm resolve not to be

chained to the miserable details of commerce.