The family might
return whenever they chose, and there would be a festival to
welcome them, O'Neil said, such as Dunleigh Castle had never known
since its foundations were laid.
"Let us go at once!" said Sylvia, when he had concluded his tale.
"No more masquerading,--I never knew until to-day how much I have
hated it! I will not say that your plan was not a sensible one,
father; but I wish it might have been carried out with more honor
to ourselves. Since De Courcy's death I have begun to appreciate
our neighbors: I was resigned to become one of these people
had our luck gone the other way. Will they give us any credit for
goodness and truth, I wonder? Yes, in mother's case, and Alice's;
and I believe both of them would give up Dunleigh Castle for this
little farm."
"Then," her father exclaimed, "it IS time that we should return,
and without delay. But thee wrongs us somewhat, Sylvia: it has not
all been masquerading. We have become the servants, rather than
the masters, of our own parts, and shall live a painful and divided
life until we get back in our old place.
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