The thought that he was one
day to make her his wife, justified him in his own eyes; for by this
he thought he should have recompensed her for all her sacrifices.
Edoardo's demands increased with his exigencies. He was making rapid
advances into the most terrible phases of the gamester's vice; and
the mania in Sophia of giving--of sacrificing all her means for
Edoardo, did not stop. All the money left her by her mother had
already disappeared; most of her valuable ornaments had been sold;
some of the bank bills had been parted with: but as this could not be
done without her father's knowledge, he had made the laws interpose,
and sequestrated the remainder. Sophia did not dare to speak or
complain. She felt in her heart that her father was probably in the
right, that her own conduct was at least unreflecting, and that
Edoardo's expenses were too great; but still she found a thousand
arguments to excuse both herself and him. She spent all the day
making flowers, and stole a great part of the night from repose to
devote it to this labour; but she, formerly so ready to make presents
of her flowers, and adorn with them the young girls of her
acquaintance, now exacted payment for them; so that every one
wondered at this new and sudden avarice.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260