Hillern_Only_a_Girl.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
town of ---- had never seen
before! and , and , were married on
the same day. was a great crowd before the quiet house where
lived, to witness the arrival of the numerous guests
who were to escort the bridal parties to church.
" is one of the bridesmaids, but an old one," was whispered among
the people as and her brother alighted from their carriage.
" that is another, but a very little one," was added, as a stalwart
young man lifted a charming brown-eyed child out of the carriage.
was dressed in white with pink ribbons, and had a huge bouquet in her
hand.
", oh, she has only one arm!" was uttered in a tone of compassion as
she passed into the house, accompanied by her companion bridesmaid, and
disappeared beneath the garlands and among the flowering shrubs with
which the hall was decorated.
, the large drawing-room was crowded with the science and
respectability of ----. had been great astonishment among the
inhabitants of the place when ' actual engagement to the
was announced, but all agreed that always
knew what he was about; and those who were invited to the wedding
declared themselves delighted with the match.
was appeased by 's request that she would act as
bridesmaid. " am glad to be his bridesmaid," she said to her
sister-in-law in the morning. " will break my heart, but will not
repine! shall fade away like a blossom that zephyrs waft from the
tree before it can become fruit. , no, do not repine,-- only share
the fate of thousands of my sisters. blossom dying the death of
innocence in its virgin purity is not to be pitied--no, let pity be for
him who could crush it beneath his trend in his onward path without
ever dreaming of the delight that it might have given him." did not
foresee that the poetic death that she anticipated would be very long
delayed, and that she would be a welcome guest in 's house in
future years, as " " to a throng of attentive little listeners
whom she would delight with many a tale about the elves, gnomes, and
wild flowers of her youth. was dressed in character on the present
occasion, in sea-green, with a wreath of cherry-blossoms in her hair; a
long narrow scarf of white satin fluttered about her slender figure.
" might be more richly clad," she thought, "but none so
romantically and poetically."
brother was in a sad state of mind as he this morning put on the
dress-coat in which he had made his first appearance a year before in
the 's boudoir. had just heard that the beautiful
countess had been killed in a race at . , and his grief at
the death of the woman whom he still loved was increased by the
necessity of concealing it.
spite of the number of guests, there was a solemn silence reigning
in the large apartment. all were awaiting the entrance of the two
brides.
has not been conscious of a slight shudder at the first appearance
of a bride, a young girl, about to take the most important step of her
life? eyes were turned towards the door of the antechamber.
, with his mother, and , with , placed themselves
opposite it, the guests withdrew from around them, and a space through
the centre of the room was left free.
, and enveloped in her floating veil as in a white cloud, her
head bowed beneath the myrtle-wreath, entered the room.
dark eyelashes were drooping, and upon her broad brow true womanhood
was enthroned. paused, bewildered and confused by the presence of
so many people, among whom the whisper ran, " lovely the bride
looks!" defiance of all rule, hastened to her, and clasped
her hands in his.
" swan," he whispered, "now you have unfolded your plumage!"
bent her head lower still, and a tear fell on his hand.
"," she said softly, "let me confess,-- have loved you ever
since you made known to me, eleven years ago, the promise of the swan,
but could not know that it was only through you that the promise was
to be fulfilled!"
" loved me then, and could reject and torment me! , ,
what penalty is there for such cruelty?"
" one, dearest, but a severe one,--grief for time wasted."
", my daughter," said the gravely.
second bride, , now entered, with blushing cheeks and a
radiant smile. , with his foster-father, went to her, and
gave her his paternal benediction. came , and the faithful
, who had discharged the office of dressing-maid to the pair.
a corner of the room, led forward a bowed, aged form, the
friend whom had chosen to give her away,--old .
"," she said, gently taking his hand in one of hers, while she
held out the other to the ,--"father, mother in spirit and
in truth, thank you both."
"," said , "only one day in my life,--the day of my
own marriage,--equals this in happiness. bless you!" old man
was happy indeed, for the day before had handed him a parchment
roll with the announcement " is my diploma."
" we never going to start?" suddenly exclaimed . " lovers
are not in any hurry, apparently. have had sufficient time to make
up their minds,--pray they are not regretting their decision.
church, then, in 's name."
" 's' name," whispered, and the words were spoken with
her whole soul.
.
" would have thought that would ever have turned out such
a woman?" said in a suppressed tone to his wife.
pair were walking to and fro in 's study, which was
furnished precisely like 's former library, and they were
evidently awaiting some event with anxiety.
hidden by the heavy folds of the blue curtains, and
were standing at the window. did not speak, their hearts
were too full. 's hands were folded, as though she were
breathing a silent prayer, and stood grave and anxious beside
her. stopped now and then and looked towards the door of
the adjoining room, as if expecting it to open, but he evidently wished
to conceal all emotion, and talked on gaily. ", who would have
thought it? must have been puzzled indeed to know how to train
that scatterbrain."
" always told you that could do whatever he chose, and
was always sweet and good in reality, only she had been so
warped by her education," said . " liked her from the first
moment that saw her after she was grown up, and you know always
defended her from your attacks. now all is just as said it would
be."
", of course! really should like to hear of anything that you women
did not know all about beforehand," laughed . " are always so
much sharper than we. had made her husband as unhappy as
she makes him happy, we should hear the same thing,--', told you
so, saw how it would be from the first, never liked her.' know
you well!"
" you not ashamed," pouted , "to go on with your silly jests
when we are all so anxious? should lose his wife, what
would become of him?"
", bah! he is not going to lose her. 't be foolish," said .
came towards them. "'t make yourself out worse than you
are, ," said he. " never saw you look more troubled than you do
just at this moment. know well enough what is to us all."
" take it, of course know it!" cried ,--"she's as much to
me as to any of you,--but hate to hear people cry before they are
hurt. keep her, she's a jewel of a woman!"
"," said , joining in the conversation, "such women are rare
indeed. she fulfils every duty, even those that she once considered
so dull and commonplace!"
", yes," chimed in , "my mother is never weary of sounding
her praises."
" is the most wonderful thing she has accomplished yet," said
. " hear these two notable housewives, , joining in a
chorus of praise of a third! you ever hear anything like it?
never did."
" deserves it all," answered . " then she is invaluable
to as a scientific companion and assistant. could as ill
spare her at his desk or in his laboratory as at the head of his
household--or----"
"!" interrupted , "did you not hear some one at the door?"
silence reigned in the room again for awhile.
" hope it will be a boy,-- longs for a boy," sighed .
" two o'clock," said . " wish they would send us some one
to say how she is."
the door was flung open, and old 's deep voice cried, "
is over."
" !" they all exclaimed as with one breath.
" it a boy?" asked .
", a girl!"
" girl!" said . ", ''tis not pretty, but sin is uglier,' as
the said."
" be quiet! would say if she heard you, you mocker?"
said . " we not go to her, ?"
", stay where you are," said the old man, closing the door.
's apartment all was quiet and repose. was
standing, mute with happiness, by 's side, supporting her
head, when he was called to look at his little daughter, a bundle of
snowy wrappings in her grandmother's arms.
took the little creature from her and laid it by his wife's side.
"," was all he said, leaning over her enraptured for awhile,
gazing into the pure delight mirrored in her eyes. last he raised
his head, and said, laughingly, ", , 'it is only a girl.'"
" it so. do not question what has sent me. am a mother.
envy no man now, and our daughter shall never do so. will cherish
and train our child to be what a true woman should be, and some day she
may say to one whom she loves, as do to you, my dearest, '
that am a woman, and that am yours.'"
"," said , "those are the dearest words you could
utter. the daughter of such a mother! , mother dear,
did you hear 's confession? is reconciled at last to the
destiny of her sex."
gazed at the atom of being by her side, as if it were a
miracle. quite agreed with the that it was a
wonderfully pretty child for a new-born baby, and, as she laid her hand
upon its little heart and felt its regular beating, she smiled amid her
tears, and would gladly have clasped it in her arms, only it seemed so
frail and slight she was afraid of breaking it.
" ," she said, " once thought that it would have been better
if you had left me to die when my father gave me that almost fatal
blow, but since then have been often grateful to you for preserving
my life, although never so grateful as at this moment."
", bah!" said the old man, " was only the physician of your body.
your gratitude for this fellow," he laid his hand upon
' shoulder,--"he was the physician for your soul, and so
judicious was his treatment, that now you can have some comfort of your
life."
looked up gratefully at her husband. ", faithful physician
of my soul,--your medicines were very bitter, but they were my
salvation."