She looked up, and she believed her dream
realized--De Valence leaning over the bed, and herself wholly in his
power! A shriek of horror as bursting from her lips, when Wallace
hastily raised his visor. At the moment when despair was in her orphan
heart, and her whole soul turned with abhorrence from the supposed De
Valence, she met the eyes of the dearest to her on earth--those of
indeed her father's friend! Stretching forth her arms, for an instant
she seemed flying to the protection of him to whose honor she had been
bequeathed; but falling back again on her bed, the glad surprise of
seeing him, who in her estimation was her only earthly security now
that her father was no more, shook her with such emotion, that Wallace
feared to see her delicate frame sink into some deadly swoon.
Alarmed for her life, or the accomplishment of her deliverance, he
threw himself on his knees beside her, and softly whispered, "Be
composed, for the love of Heaven and your own safety. Be collected and
firm, and you shall fly this place with me to-night."
Hardly conscious of the action, Helen grasped the hand that held hers,
and would have replied; but her voice failing, she fainted on his arm.
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