Holmes_West_Lawn.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
me truly that you love me more than
? " asked, a ray of hope dawning for an in
stant upon her heart, but fading into utter darkness as
hesitated to answer her.
did love best, though never had been
so near supplanting her as at that moment when she
stood before him and told him he was free. was
something in the magnitude of her generosity which
touched him closely, and made her dearer to him than
she had ever been.
" can make you very happy," he said at last, and
replied, " , but how with yourself ? you
be happy too ? , , you would not, and neither
should , knowing what do. is best that we should
part, though it almost breaks my heart, for have loved
you so much."
stopped for breath, and was wondering
406 .
what lie should say next, when a cheery whistle sounded
near, and appeared in the door.
had just returned from the post-office, whither he had
gone after church, and not knowing any one but
was in the library, had come there at once.
" beg your pardon," he said, when he saw ; and
he was hurrying away, but laicy called him back, feeling
that in him she would find a powerful ally to aid her in
her task.
to him as s friend, she repeated
s story rapidly, and then went on : "
never knew of that letter, or she would have answered
yes. know she loves him, for can remember a thou
sand things which prove it, and know he has loved her
best all the time, even when trying so hard to love me.
, how it hurts me to think he had to try to love me
who loved him so much. that is all past now.
give him up to , and you must help me as if were
your sister. him it is best. must not argue
against me, for feel myself giving way through my
great love for him, and know it is not right. him,
. ; plead my cause for me ; say what a true
woman ought to say, for, believe me, am in earnest in
giving him to ."
was a ghastly hue upon her face, and her feat
ures looked pinched and rigid, but the terrible heart
beats were not there. in great mercy kept them
( . 407
back, else she had surely died under that strong excite
ment. thought she was fainting, and going
hastily to her side, passed his arm around her and put
her in the chair ; then standing by her, he said just what
first came into his mind to say. was a delicate matter
in which to interfere, but he handled ifc carefully, telling
frankly what had passed between himself and , and
giving as his opinion, that she loved to-day just
as well as before she left .
" it is surely right for to marry her, and
he must ! " exclaimed vehemently, while
laid his hand pityingly upon her head, and said, "
only you be sacrificed."
was something wonderfully tender in the tone
of s voice, and glanced quickly at him
while her eyes filled with the first tears she had shed
since she came into the room.
" am willing ; am ready ; have made up my
mind, and shall never unmake it," she answered, while
put in a feeble remonstrance.
was on s side, and did with his
cooler judgment what she could not ; and when at last the
interview was ended, there was no ring on s forefinger,
for held it in his hand, and their engagement was
at an end. with what he had passed through,
he stood motionless while drew s cloak
about her shoulders, fastened her fur, tied on her satin
403 .
hood, and took such care of her as a mother would take
of a suffering child.
" is hardly safe to send her home alone," he thought,
as he looked into her face and saw how weak she was.
" a friend of both ought to accompany her."
was indeed so weak that she could scarcely stand,
and took her in his arms and carried her to the
sleigh ; then springing in beside her, he made her lean her
tired head upon his shoulder as they drove to
. did not seem frivolous to him now, but rather
the noblest type of womanhood he had ever met.
could have done what she had, and there was much of
warmth and fervor in the clasp of his hand as he bade
her good-by, and went back to the rectory.
was the consternation and surprise in
when it was known that there was to be but one bride
at on the night of the 15th, and various
were the surmises as to the cause of the sudden change ;
but, strive as they might, the good people of the village
could not get at the truth, for held her peace,
while the were far too proud to admit of
their being questioned, and stood a
bulwark of defence between the people and the clergyman,
and managed to have the pulpit at . s supplied for
a few weeks, while he took away, saying that his
iealth required the change.
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" have done nobly, darling,"
had said to when she received her from s
hands and heard that all was over. , leading her
half-fainting cousin to her own cheerful room, she made
her lie down while she told her of the plan she had
formed when first she heard what s intentions were.
" wrote to . asking if he would take a trip
to , so that you could go with us, for knew you
would not wish to stay here. -day have his answer
saying he will go; and what is better yet, father and
mother are going, too."
( am so glad ! could not stay here now,"
replied, sobbing herself to sleep, while sat by and
watched, wondering at the strength which had upheld her
weak little cousin in the struggle she had been through,
and feeling, too, that it was just as well, for after all it
was a mesalliance for an heiress like her cousin to marry
a poor clergyman.
was a great wedding at on the
night of the 15th, but neither nor were
there. lay sick again at the . , in ,
and she was alone in her chamber fighting back her tears,
and praying that now die worst was over she might be
withheld from looking back and wishing the work undone.
went with the bridal party to , where she
tarried for a few days, but saw no one but , for
18
410 .
whom she sent at once. interview lasted more than
an hour, and s eyes were swollen with weeping
when at last it ended ; but s face, though white as
snow, was very calm and quiet, and wore a peaceful, placid
look which made it like the face of an angel. weeks
later, and the steamer bore her away across the
water, where she hoped to outlive the storm which had
beaten so piteously upon her. and
went with her on board the ship, and for their sakes
she tried to appear natural, succeeding so well that it was
a very pleasant picture, which kept in his mind,
of a frail little figure standing upon the deck, holding its
water-proof together with one hand, and with the other
waving a smiling adieu to and himself.
than a year later followed
that figure across the sea, and found it in beautiful
, sailing again through the moonlit streets, and
listening to the music which came so oft from the passing
gondolas. had recovered its former roundness, and
the face was even more beautiful than it had been before,
for the light frivolity was gone, and there was in its stead
a peaceful, subdued expression which made -
court more attractive than she had ever been. least
so thought, and he lingered at her
side, and felt glad that she gave no outward token of agi
tation when he said to her :
" was a wedding at . s in just
. 411
before left. you guess who the happy couple
were?"
f( , and . wrote me they were to
be married on eve. am glad it has come
around at last."
she questioned him of the bridal, of ,
and even of s dress, her manner evincing that the
old wound had healed, or was healing very fast, and that
soon only a scar would remain to tell where it had
been.
so the days went on beneath the sunny
skies, until one glorious night in , when they sat to
gether amid the ruins of the , and
spoke his mind, alluding to the time when each had loved
another, expressing himself as glad that in his case the
matter had ended as it did, and then asking if she
could conscientiously be his wife.
" ! marry a frivolous plaything like me? "
asked, her woman s pride flashing up once more,
but this time playfully, as knew by the joyous
light in her eye.
told him what she meant, and how she had hated
him for it, and then they laughed together, but s
kiss smothered the laugh on s lips, for he guessed
what her answer was, and that this, his second wooing,
was more successful than his first had been.
412 .
" , in , on , 10th,
, ., of , to
, also of , and niece of
."
was out in the rectory garden bending over a
bed of hyacinths when brought her the paper
and pointed to the notice.
", am so glad, so glad, so ! " she exclaimed,
emphasizing each successive glad a little more, and set
ting down her foot as if to give it force. " have never
dared be quite as happy with you as might," she con
tinued, leaning lovingly against her husband, "for there
was always a thought of , and what a fearful price
she paid for our happiness. now it is all as it should
be, and, , am very vain in thinking that she is
better suited to than ever was, and
that do better as your wife than would have
done?"
kiss was 's only answer, but was satis
fied, and there rested upon her face ,a look of perfect con
tent as all that warm spring afternoon she walked in
her pleasant garden, thinking of the newly married pair
in , and glancing occasionally at the open window
of the library where was, busy with his sermon,
his pen moving all the faster for the knowing that
was just within his call, that by turning his head he
could see her dear face, and that by and by, when his
. 413
work was done, she would come in to ), and with her
loving words and winsome ways make m forget how
tired he was, and thank again for the great gift
bestowed when it gave him .