GODOLPHIN, Volume 5.
By Edward Bulwer Lytton
(Lord Lytton)


CHAPTER XLII.

JOY AND DESPAIR.

It was approaching towards the evening as Lucilla paused for a few seconds
at the door which led to Godolphin's apartments. At length she summoned
courage. The servant who admitted her was Godolphin's favorite domestic;
and he was amazed, but overjoyed, to see her; for Lucilla was the idol of
all who knew her,--save of him, whose love only she cared and lived for.

His master, he said, was gone out for a short time, but the next day they
were to have returned home. Lucilla coloured with vivid delight to hear
that her letter had produced an effect she had not hoped so expeditiously
to accomplish. She passed on into Godolphin's apartment. The room bore
evident signs of approaching departure; the trunks lay half-packed on the
floor; there was all that importance of confusion around which makes to
the amateur traveller a luxury out of discomfort. Lucilla sat down, and
waited, anxious and trembling, for her lover. Her woman, who had
accompanied her, thinking of more terrestrial concerns than love, left
her, at her desire. She could not rest long; she walked, agitating and
expecting, to and fro the long and half-furnished chamber which
characterises the Italian palace. At length, her eye fell on an open
letter on a writing-table at one corner of the room. She glanced over it
mechanically,--certain words suddenly arrested her attention. Were those
words--words of passion--addressed to her? If not, O Heaven! to whom?