Medical men tell us of a predisposing condition of the system for

the inception of epidemic. It needs, after this, but the smallest

atmospheric changes, and the contagion spreads, and blackens, and

taints the entire body of society, even unto death. The history

of the moral constitution is not unanalogous to this. The disease,

the damning doubt, once in the mind, and the rest is easy. It may

sleep and be silent for a season, for years, unprovoked by stimulating

circumstances; but let the moral atmosphere once receive its color

from the suddenly-passing cloud, and the dark spot dilates within

the heart, grows active, and rapidly sends its poisonous and poisoning

tendrils through all the avenues of mind. Its bitter secretions in

my soul affected all the objects of my sight, even as the jaundiced

man lives only in a saffron element. Perhaps no course of conduct

on the part of my wife could have seemed to me entirely innocent.

Certainly none could have been entirely satisfactory, or have seemed

entirely proper. Even her words, when she spoke to me alone, were

of a kind to feed my prevailing passion. Yet, regarded under just

moods, they should have been the most conclusive, not simply of her

innocence, but of the devotedness of her heart to the requisitions

of her duty. Her love and her sense of right seemed harmoniously

to keep together. Gentlest reproaches eluded me for leaving her,

when she sought for none but myself. Sweetest endearments encountered

my return, and fondest entreaties would have delayed the hour of

my departure. Her earnestness, when she implored me not to leave

her so frequently at night, almost reached intensity, and had

a meaning, equally expressive of her delicacy and apprehensions,

which I was unhappily too slow to understand.

Six months had probably elapsed from the time of Mr. Clifford's

death, when, returning from my office one day, who should I encounter

in my wife's company but her mother? Of this good lady I had been

permitted to see but precious little since my marriage. Not that

she had kept aloof from our dwelling entirely. Julia had always

conceived it a duty to seek her mother at frequent periods without

regarding the ill treament which she received; and the latter,

becoming gradually reconciled to what she could no longer prevent,

had at length so far put on the garments of Christian charity as

to make a visit to her daughter in return. Of course, though I did

not encourage it, I objected nothing to this renewed intercourse;

which continued to increase until, as in the present instance, I

sometimes encountered this good lady on my return from my office.

On these occasions I treated her with becoming respect, though

without familiarity. I inquired after her health, expressed myself

pleased to see her, and joined my wife in requesting her to stay

to dinner. Until now, she usually declined to do so; and her manner

to myself hitherto was that of a spoiled child indulging in his

sulks. But, this day, to my great consternation, she was all smies

and good humor.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024