. The girlhood of Shakespeare's heroines in a series of tales. that which betokened an age of horrible experi-ences. There were in her countenance traces of beauty, but they wereobscured to a pitying eye by the shadow of vice, by the hues of intempe-rance, by the lines which wrangling and brawling had left cut in uponthe cheek, and round the mouth and eyes ; while in the eyes themselves,there would occasionally gleam a wild troubled look, that seemed likeconscience betraying its inward struggle, and starting forth involuntarilyto claim sympathy and compassion In her person there was the same c
. The girlhood of Shakespeare's heroines in a series of tales. that which betokened an age of horrible experi-ences. There were in her countenance traces of beauty, but they wereobscured to a pitying eye by the shadow of vice, by the hues of intempe-rance, by the lines which wrangling and brawling had left cut in uponthe cheek, and round the mouth and eyes ; while in the eyes themselves,there would occasionally gleam a wild troubled look, that seemed likeconscience betraying its inward struggle, and starting forth involuntarilyto claim sympathy and compassion In her person there was the same confession ; recklessness of deco-rum in dress and bearing, together with a sometliing of shrinking con-sciousness at times, that seemed to plead for the sense of shame that yetremained. Her voice revealed similar existence of bad, with latentgood. It was course and unrestrained in its noisy vulgarity of speechand laugh; but there were moments when its tone would drop to analmost musical softness, and it would tremble and vibrate with genuinewomanly THE VOTARESS. Now, however, it was raised to its height of repulsive loudness, asshe laughed and talked with the ruffian companion on whose arm shehung, humouring his mood of jocularity in sneering at the passers-by,and assisting his invention by many smart sallies of her own. In the midst of their boisterous mirth, it suddenly received a check,by one of the horses starting from the line of cavalcade, and plungingand rearing violently in their immediate vicinity. So close to themcame the animal, and so entirely beyond the controul of his rider was hein his bounds and curvettings, that his hoof struck the girl, before shecould get out of his way. She recoiled with a scream of pain; whileher companion sprang forward, with an oath, to seize the horses rein,and to revenge himself on the rider. But the animal dashed past bore his master and himself away from the spot, leaving the otherraging and foaming, and pouring fort
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdeca, booksubjectshakespearewilliam15641616
