And he durst not trust himself in her tempting presence, lest there
should be a renewal of those humiliating scenes he had endured.
Thus passing a greater portion of the summer; during which Thurston
gradually dropped off from the church, and from all other haunts where
he was likely to encounter Marian, and as gradually began to frequent
the Catholic chapel, and to visit Luckenough, and to throw himself as
much as possible into the distracting company of the pretty elf
Jacquelina. But this--while it threw Dr. Grimshaw almost into frenzy,
did not help Thurston to forget the good and beautiful Marian. Indeed,
by contrast, it seemed to make her more excellent and lovely.
And thus, while Jacquelina fancied she had a new admirer, Dr. Grimshaw
feared that he had a new rival, and the holy fathers hoped they had a
new convert--Thurston laughed at the vanity of the elf, the jealousy of
the Ogre, and the gullibility of the priests--and sought only escape
from the haunting memory of Marian, and found it not. And finally, bored
and ennuied beyond endurance, he cast about for a plan by which to
hasten his union with Marian. Perhaps it was only that neighborhood she
was afraid of, he thought--perhaps in some other place she would be less
scrupulous.
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