"You offer to comfort and help me! Me--a perfect stranger, with a
cloud of dishonor hanging over me! Oh, madam, if you knew all, you
would certainly withdraw your kind offer," she said.
"I will not withdraw it in any event. I do know all that your landlord
could tell me, and that awakens my deepest sympathy for you. But I do
not know all that you could tell me. Now, dear, I want you to confide
in me as you could not confide either in your landlord, or even in his
mother."
"Oh, no, no! I could not tell either of them. They were kind; but--oh,
so hard!"
"Now, dear, then, look in my face, look well, and tell me whether you
can confide in me," said Sybil, gently.
"If I had never seen your heavenly countenance--if I had only heard
your heavenly voice, I could confide in you, as in the holy mother of
Christ," said the stranger fervently.
"Tell me then, dear; tell me all you wish to tell; relieve your heart;
lay all your burdens on my bosom; and then you shall feel how well I can
comfort and help you," said Sybil, putting her hand around the fair neck
and drawing the little golden-haired head upon her breast.
Then and there the friendless young stranger--friendless now, no
more--told her piteous story.