Call in Dr. ----, and
leave me alone with him. I have not thought of dying, but should have
known that my present happiness was too exquisite to last.'
I sent in the doctor, and he told her all. What passed between us, on my
return, is too sacred for relation. It is enough that the bitterness of
that hour filled all the capacity of the human heart for anguish and
despair. Afterwards we became more reconciled to the dispositions of
Heaven.
The history of her gradual decline need not be related--the hopes, the
suspense, the disappointments--the reviving indications of health, the
increasing symptoms of fatal disease--the flush and brilliancy as of
exuberant vitality--the fading of all the hues of life--all the
vicissitudes of the unrelenting progress of decay--one after another,
resolving themselves into the lineaments of death.
It was indeed too late.
Frank still remained in Florence, but had discarded the society of his
bachelor friends for that of the young lady previously mentioned, who
was now entitled to call him husband.
Soon after our arrival I called upon him, announced Evelyn's illness,
with its hopeless character. The young man was shocked. He had never
thought of disease or death in connection with Evelyn.
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