Page:Clermont - Roche (1798, volume 2).djvu/22

 Madeline shuddered, "would to heaven! (cried she, emphatically) we had never met." Scarcely was she able to forbear asking what those obstacles were which he alluded to, but propriety checked the question; she regretted bitterly, regretted the divulgement of her sentiments, and the consciousness of its being an unpremeditated divulgement, could scarcely mitigate her regret for it; anxious to avoid the imputation of total weakness, either from de Sevignie or herself, she now summoned all her resolution to her aid, and after the silence of a few minutes, addrest him in a collected voice.

"Let us (said she) endeavour to reconcile ourselves to an inevitable necessity, the efforts of fortitude and virtue can never fail of being successful, and how can they be more nobly exercised, than in trying to repel useless sorrow. Let us from this moment, that no interruption may be given to such efforts, determine sedulously to avoid each other."

"Yet we shall meet again; (exclaimed de Sevignie in a passionate accent, and grasp-