"Rosa! dear friend! my sympathizing little sister! I shall not

readily gain my own pardon for having distressed you so sorely. When

you can do it with comparative ease to yourself, I want you to tell

me one or two things more, and then we will never allude to

irreparable bygones again."

"I am ready!" removing her soaked cambric, and forcing a fluttering

smile that might show how composed she was; "don't think of me! I

was only grieved for your sake, and sorry because I had unwittingly

hurt you. I was in hopes--I imagined--"

"That I had ontlived my disappointment? You said, that same

September day, that women hid their green wounds in sewing rooms and

oratories. Mine should have been cauterized long ago, by other and

harsher means, you think. It seldom bleeds--but tonight, I had not

time to ward off the point of the knife and it touched a raw spot.

Don't let me frighten you! now that the worst is upon me, I must be

calmer presently. You were at Ridgeley, in September, a year since,

when she who was then Miss Aylett"--compelling himself to the

articulation of the sentence that signified the later

change--"received her brother's command to reject me?"

"I was."

"He would never tell me upon what evil report his prohibition was

based. He was more communicative with his sister, I suppose?"

And Rosa, following the example of other women--and men--who vaunt

their principles more highly than she did hers, made a frank

disclosure of part of the truth and held her tongue as to the rest.

"I couldn't help seeing that something was wrong, for Mabel, who, up

to the receipt of her brother's letter and one from you that came by

the same mail, had been very cheerful and talkative, suddenly grew

more serious and reserved than was her habit at any time; but she

told me nothing whatever, never mentioned your name again in my

hearing. Mrs. Sutton did hint to me her fear that Mr. Aylett had

heard something prejudicial to your character, which had greatly

displeased him and shocked Mabel, but even she was unaccountably

reticent. Intense as was my anxiety to learn the particulars of the

story, and upon what evidence they were induced to believe it, I

dared not press my inquiry into what it was plain they intended to

guard as a family secret."

His reply was just what she had foreseen and guarded against.

"It would have been a kind and worthy deed, had you written to warn

me of my danger, and advised me to make my defence in person. As it

was, I was thrown off roughly and pitilessly--my demand upon the

brother for the particulars of the accusation against me--my appeal

to the sister--loving and earnest as words could make it--for

permission to visit her and learn from her own lips that she trusted

or disowned me, were alike disregarded. Mr. Aylett's response was a

second letter, more coldly insulting than the first--hers, the

return of my last, after she had opened and read it, then the

surrender of my gifts, letters, notes, everything that could remind

her that we had ever met and loved. Mrs. Sutton, too, my father's

old and firm friend, deserted me in my extremity. And she must have

been acquainted with the character and extent of the charges

preferred against me. I had hoped better things from her, if only

because I bear her dead husband's name. Did she never speak in your

hearing of writing to me?"




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