My uncle's cold exterior was but the icy crust that hid the fierce passions which burnt within his breast.

He forgot my presence in the excitement of the moment, and the stern unfeeling eye blazed with lurid fire.
"Fool!--madman--insane idiot!" he cried, tearing the note to pieces, and trampling on the fragments in his ungovernable rage: "how have you marred your own fortune, destroyed your best hopes, and annihilated all my plans for your future advancement!" Suddenly he became conscious of my presence, and glancing at me with his usual iron gravity, said, with an expression of haughty indifference, as if my opinion of his extraordinary conduct was matter of no importance, "Geoffrey, go and tell that mad-woman--But no.

I will go myself." He advanced to the door, seemed again irresolute, and finally bade me show her into the study.

Dinah North rose with alacrity to obey the summons, and for a person of her years, seemed to possess great activity of mind and body.

I felt a secret loathing for the hag, and pitied my uncle the unpleasant conference which I was certain awaited him.
Mr.Moncton had resumed his seat in his large study chair, and he rose with such calm dignity to receive his unwelcome visitor, that his late agitation appeared a delusion of my own heated imagination.
Curiosity was one of my besetting sins.