Amy , when I was a poor , dying , Catholic foreigner you loved me and would have married me in spite of everything . Now that I 'm your well , rich , Protestant cousin , who adores you as that Pole never could , you turn cold and cruel . Is it because the romance is gone , or because your love was only a girl 's fancy , after all ? '' `` You deceived me and I ca n't forget it ; but I 'll try , '' was the soft answer to his reproaches . `` Are you disappointed that I 'm not a baron ? '' `` A little bit . '' `` Shall I be a count ? They gave me a title in Poland , a barren honor , but all they had to offer , poor souls , in return for a little blood . Will you be Countess Zytomar and get laughed at for your pains , or plain Mrs. Power , with a good old English name ? '' `` Neither , thank you ; it 's only a girlish fancy , which will soon be forgotten . Does the baron love Helen ? '' asked Amy , abruptly . `` Desperately , and she ? '' `` I think he will be happy ; she is not one to make confidantes , but I know by her tenderness with me , her sadness lately , and something in her way of brightening when he comes , that she thinks much of him and loves Karl Hoffman . How it will be with the baron I can not say . '' `` No fear of him ; he wins his way everywhere . I wish I were as fortunate ; '' and the gay young gentleman heaved an artful sigh and coughed the cough that always brought such pity to the girl 's soft eyes . She glanced at him as he leaned pensively on the low wall , looking down into the lake , with the level rays of sunshine on his comely face and figure . Something softer than pity stole into her eye , as she said , anxiously , -- `` You are not really ill , Sidney ? '' `` I have been , and still need care , else I may have a relapse , '' was the reply of this treacherous youth , whose constitution was as sound as a bell .
XXXXX clasped her hands , as if in a transport of gratitude , exclaiming , fervently , -- `` What a relief it is to know that you are not doomed to -- '' She paused with a shiver , as if the word were too hard to utter , and Sidney turned to her with a beaming face , which changed to one of mingled pain and anger , as she added , with a wicked glance , -- `` Wear spectacles . ''
Amy Catholic English Hoffman Poland Power Protestant Zytomar confidantes relapse