She was greatly excited, and her mind and eyes appeared equally to
wander on the objects of her childhood. She asked her father a variety
of questions concerning scenes and people that she felt were
particularly associated with him, and he was quite overcome.
When the meal was finished, Owen carried Netta at once to her room, and
all the womankind accompanied her. It was then that poor Mr Prothero's
wrath and grief exploded. Left alone with his brother he vented both in
language which, as Owen had expressed it, needed clerical revision. But
Mr Jonathan knew that it must have its course before exhortations could
take effect. He paced up and down the room pouring curses loud and deep
upon Howel, and bemoaning his unfortunate daughter. At last he sat down
and cried bitterly.
It was then that his brother drew near to comfort, and that Owen
returned to the room.
'So young, so pretty--our only girl! God only knows how I love her--to
come to die! Driven mad by that heartless villain--curse him--a
thousand--'
'Hush, brother! hush! You cannot alter the past. Home and a father's and
mother's love will soon bring her round, poor dear.'
'Do you think so? why, she looks like a corpse. No rose was redder when
she went away, when I kissed her the night before.
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