But they were ever together and their happiness seemed that of Paradise: they studied together: formed plans of future occupations, and drinking in love and joy from each other's eyes and words they hardly repined at the delay to their entire union.
Woodville for ever rose in glory; and Elinor become more lovely and wise under the lessons of her accomplished lover.
In two months Elinor would be twenty one: every thing was prepared for their union.

How shall I relate the catastrophe to so much joy; but the earth would not be the earth it is covered with blight and sorrow if one such pair as these angelic creatures had been suffered to exist for one another: search through the world and you will not find the perfect happiness which their marriage would have caused them to enjoy; there must have been a revolution in the order of things as established among us miserable earth-dwellers to have admitted of such consummate joy.

The chain of necessity ever bringing misery must have been broken and the malignant fate that presides over it would not permit this breach of her eternal laws.

But why should I repine at this?
Misery was my element, and nothing but what was miserable could approach me; if Woodville had been happy I should never have known him.

And can I who for many years was fed by tears, and nourished under the dew of grief, can I pause to relate a tale of woe and death ?[55] Woodville was obliged to make a journey into the country and was detained from day to day in irksome absence from his lovely bride.