He had forgiven her
then. That was about the same time as Miss Grace's marriage.
Britain, you remember?'
Mr. Britain remembered very well.
'The sister is married then,' returned the stranger. He paused for
some time before he asked, 'To whom?'
Clemency narrowly escaped oversetting the tea-board, in her emotion
at this question.
'Did YOU never hear?' she said.
'I should like to hear,' he replied, as he filled his glass again,
and raised it to his lips.
'Ah! It would be a long story, if it was properly told,' said
Clemency, resting her chin on the palm of her left hand, and
supporting that elbow on her right hand, as she shook her head, and
looked back through the intervening years, as if she were looking
at a fire. 'It would be a long story, I am sure.'
'But told as a short one,' suggested the stranger.
Told as a short one,' repeated Clemency in the same thoughtful
tone, and without any apparent reference to him, or consciousness
of having auditors, 'what would there be to tell? That they
grieved together, and remembered her together, like a person dead;
that they were so tender of her, never would reproach her, called
her back to one another as she used to be, and found excuses for
her! Every one knows that. I'm sure I do. No one better,' added
Clemency, wiping her eyes with her hand.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114