"
"Why, it was the first place I inquired at, and neither Mademoiselle de
Beaurepaire nor Madame Raynal were known there."
Jacintha, who could have given the clew, seemed so puzzled herself, that
they did not even apply to her. Edouard took a sorrowful leave of the
baroness, and set out on his journey home.
Oh! how sad and weary that ride seemed now by what it had been coming.
His disappointment was deep and irritating; and ere he had ridden half
way a torturer fastened on his heart. That torture is suspicion; a vague
and shadowy, but gigantic phantom that oppresses and rends the mind more
terribly than certainty. In this state of vague, sickening suspicion, he
remained some days: then came an affectionate letter from Rose, who
had actually returned home. In this she expressed her regret and
disappointment at having missed him; blamed herself for misleading him,
but explained that their stay at Frejus had been prolonged from day to
day far beyond her expectation. "The stupidity of the post-office was
more than she could account for," said she. But, what went farthest to
console Edouard, was, that after this contretemps she never ceased to
invite him to come to Beaurepaire.
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