Life And Letters Of Maria Edgeworth/Volume 2/Letter 69

To MISS RUXTON

EDGEWORTHSTOWN, Jan. 1, 1829.

Fanny Edgeworth is now Fanny Wilson; I can hardly believe it! She is gone! I feel it, and long must feel it, with anguish, selfish anguish. But she will be happy&mdash;of that I have the most firm, delightful conviction; and therefore all that I cannot help now feeling is, I know, only surface feeling, and will soon pass away. The more I have seen and known of Lestock, the more I like him and love him, and am convinced I shall always love him, whose every word and look bears the stamp and value of sincerity.

Both their voices pronounced the words of the marriage vow with perfect clearness and decision. Mr. Butler performed the ceremony with great feeling and simplicity. I will tell my dearest aunt and you all the little circumstances; at present they are all in confusion, great and small, near and distant, and I am sick at heart in the midst of it all with the shameful, weak, selfish, uppermost sorrow of parting with this darling child.