Mattie:—A Stray (Vol 3 of 3)
world, that is, this little world wherein live and
or whom her heart yearned; she became bound more to this dull home; disappointment had wondrously sobered her; when her
artily ashamed. To look back upon that past, note her weakness, and whither it had led her, was to make her cheeks
e not always been correct. She had met deceit face to face; her own presence of mind had only saved her p
e especially serious young people-are inclined to dash headlong at religion, and even neglect home duties, duties to friends, and
she had found a church to her taste, and a minister to her taste-a minister who verged
built for himself in the square at the back. She missed never a service, week-days or Sundays; early prayers, at uncomfortable hours, when the curates were s
ned her faith on decorations, if she thought the world all vanity and vexation of spirit, if she were a little proud of carrying outward and visible signs of her own inward and spiritual grace, if she even neglected her father, at times-poor old Wesden
gs scarcely had power to arrest her steady upward progress. It did not strike her that whilst she r
ould not be a possibility of guile, had supplanted her. From that hour let her set herself apart from them; bear no ill-feeling towards them, but keep to her new world. Her life was not their
den, and spoke for a while of the old times. Harriet's manner puzzled her, but there seemed no chance of an explanation of it. Her quick observation detected Harriet's new ideas of life's duties, and she did not intrude upon them, or utter one word by way of argument
. She was always glad to learn that Sidney was well, and doing well; it had even been a relief to her to know that the business, after a stand-still of some months, had taken a turn in the right direction; but, when all was well, what was there to agitate her? If Sidney were ill, and needed her help, she would have
r the circumstances, when a stranger, who preferred not to give his name, requested an audience of Miss Wesden. Miss
mer. Mr. Wesden was a man of the world, and hard to be imposed upon. A man more nerv
ng," said t
-if it's a subscription for anything, I don
rd-possibly better known to you by th
You haven't come to torment my daughter again?" he said, in
I come to offer every r
of that sort of stu
xplanation of my conduct in the past; but if you would fa
to do," said Mr. Wesd
attempting to analyze the real motives which had actuated his past conduct-motives which had been a little incomprehensible
t the opposite wall, till Maurice looked behind him to see what was nail
uch to blame, sir-that is, that there w
they,
y I have pr
ee it at all. But, then, I haven't so clear a
stand that I am heartily a
to hear t
come a dif
tory, perhaps?" su
my reformatory
y for
mpulse turned your daughter's heart away from me, I have come from abroad with the
you, t
glance over his shoulder, and then commenced a second series of explanations, speaking
; "she never talked to me about her love affairs-girls never do to t
likely
one that has altered her so much. Any nons
-exact
she comes in now," said Mr.
m obliged
need not talk any more just at present. We don't have much tal
will attend to
Wesden sat and smoked his pipe at a little distance from him, and revolved in his own mind the strange incident which had flashed athwart the monotony of daily life, and scared him with its suddenness. In Harriet he had probably been deceived, and it was this young man whom she had loved, and whose eccentric courses had rendered her so difficult to comprehend. All the past morbidity, the past variable moods, the fluctuations in her health, were to be laid to this man's charge, and
o come," said Mr. Wesden, afte
too," was t
mons at the door announce
f, and leave you to expla
to the latter days; the heroine of it was at the threshold waiting for him. Th
d allowed her to proceed half-way down the narr
r waiting for you these
the handle of the door and entered the parlour. Then she stopped transfixed, scarcely believing her sig
e had
arsely; "that possibly this was not the best method of once again seek
nnot see that any valid reason
t has-I ho
ossi
a long story to your father-may I b
, I must ask you to excus
I pray you for an honest hearing. Ah! Mi
d!-no,
ding thereat still, by way of hint as to the length of the interview. She was more beautiful than ever; more grave and statuesque, perhaps, but very beautiful. It wa
poken, but she
ful conduct therein-I have done with that and you. If you be here to apologize, I accept that apology, and request you to withdraw. I
, in the first place
ried Harriet, imperious
yte. He would have thought the change savoured too strongly of the earth from which he and her, and other
or by giving you my name and calling you my wife. I have been a miserable and guil
old days. But the spell was at an end, and there was no power to bring her once more to his arms. She recoiled from him with a
ford, you
not t
inute ago that I forgave you all the evil in the past. I don't forg
n good for evil, and Harriet Wesden had thought how irresistible his words were, and how apposite his illustrations. And fresh from good counsel, this young woman who ha
ow for the past, and take my leave. Forgive at leas
one moment!"
then with a hand pressed heavily upon her bosom,
y, fostered by pernicious teaching of frivolous companions-afterwards there was a foolish romantic incertitude-vanity still perhaps-that led me to trust in you, and to give up one who loved me, and for whom I ought to have died rather than have deserted-but there was no love! I knew it directly that I guessed your cowardice, for I despised you utterly then, and understoo
d away, and went slowly out of the room, defeated at all points, his colours lowered and trailing in the dust. Outside he found Mr. Wesden, standi
?" he asked
nswer; "I see what a fool I have been, Mr. Wesden
ut; the old man watched him for a while, and then r
he entered, and flung
nd look to still. Not