'And now,' she resumed, with perfect steadiness, 'will you consider
me composed? I request you, as a gentleman, to let me out.'
'I think you do unwisely,' he replied. 'Continue, if you please, to
use my carriage.'
'Sir John,' she said, 'if death were sitting on that pile of stones,
I would alight! I do not blame, I thank you; I now know how I
appear to others; but sooner than draw breath beside a man who can
so think of me, I would - O!' she cried, and was silent.
Sir John pulled the string, alighted, and offered her his hand; but
she refused the help.
The road had now issued from the valleys in which it had been
winding, and come to that part of its course where it runs, like a
cornice, along the brow of the steep northward face of Grunewald.
The place where they had alighted was at a salient angle; a bold
rock and some wind-tortured pine-trees overhung it from above; far
below the blue plains lay forth and melted into heaven; and before
them the road, by a succession of bold zigzags, was seen mounting to
where a tower upon a tall cliff closed the view.
'There,' said the Baronet, pointing to the tower, 'you see the
Felsenburg, your goal. I wish you a good journey, and regret I
cannot be of more assistance.'
He mounted to his place and gave a signal, and the carriage rolled
away.
Seraphina stood by the wayside, gazing before her with blind eyes.
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