She had made the effort at recognition--that was evident even to
him--and had made it in vain.
"Entirely forgotten--well! better that than to have been remembered as
the thing I was. Would it were possible to be equally forgotten by the
rest--but this, too, is vain and childish. She must be taught to
remember me."
Thus muttered the stranger to himself; assuming, however, an increased
decision of manner at the conclusion, he approached her, and tearing
from his cheeks the huge whiskers that had half-obscured them, he spoke
in hurried accents:--
"Look on me now, Miss Colleton--look on me now, and while you gaze upon
features once sufficiently well known to your glance, let your memory
but retrace the few years when it was your fortune, and my fate, to
spend a few months in Gwinnett county. Do you remember the time--do you
remember that bold, ambitious man, who, at that time, was the claimant
for a public honor--who was distinguished by you in a dance, at the ball
given on that occasion--who, maddened by wine, and a fierce passion
which preyed upon him then, like a consuming fire, addressed you, though
a mere child, and sought you for his bride, who--but I see you remember
all!"
"And are you then Creighton--Mr.
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