Part 24 (2/2)

”_Sylvia!_” The cry came from the hidden depths of Austin's soul, wrung with grief and shame. ”I thought you never guessed---Since you did--how could you go on loving me so--how can you say what you just have--about my--_goodness_?”

”Darling, _don't_! I never would have let you know that I guessed--if everything else I said hadn't failed! That wasn't a reproach! 'Go on loving you'--how could I help loving you a thousand times more than ever--when you won the greatest fight of all? It's no sin to be tempted--I'm glad you're strong enough--and human enough--for that. And I'm thankful from the bottom of my heart--that you're strong enough--and _divine_ enough--to resist temptation. But you know--even a man like you--what a sorceress plain human nature can be. What chance has a weakling like Jack Weston against her, when she leads him in the same path?”

For all answer, he buried his face in the folds of her dress, and lay with it hidden, while she stroked his hair with soft and soothing fingers; she knew that she had wounded him to the quick, knew that this battle was the hardest of all, knew most surely that it was his last one, and that he would win it. Meanwhile there was nothing for her to do but to wait, unable to help him, and forced to bear alone the burden of weariness and sacrifice which was nearly crus.h.i.+ng her. Should Austin sense, even dimly, how the sight of Edith's suffering through the long, sleepless night had brought back her own, by its reawakened memories of agony which he had taught her to forget; should divine that she, too, had counted the days to their marriage, and rejoiced that the long waiting was over, she knew that Edith's cause would be lost. She counted on the strength of the belief that most men hold--they never guess how mistakenly--that fatigue and pain are matters of slight importance among the really big things of life, and that women do not feel as strongly as they do, that there is less pa.s.sion in the giving than in the taking, that mother-love is the greatest thing they ever know. Some day, she would convince him that he was wrong; but now--At last he looked up, with an expression in his eyes, dimly seen in the starlight, which brought fresh tears to hers, but new courage to her tired heart.

”If you do love me, and I know you do,” he said brokenly, ”never speak to me about that again. You've forgiven it--you forgive everything--but I never shall forgive myself, or feel that I can atone, for what I meant--for that one moment--to do, as long as I live. On Christmas night, when there was no evil in my heart, you thought you saw it there, because your trust had been betrayed before; I vowed then that I would teach you at least that I was worthy of your confidence, and that most men were; and when I had taught you, not only to trust me, but to love me, so that you saw no evil even when it existed--I very nearly betrayed you. It wasn't my strength that saved us _both_--it was your wonderful love and faith. There's no desire in the world that would profane such an altar of holiness as you unveiled before me that night.” He lifted her soft dress, and kissed the hem of her skirt. ”I haven't forgiven myself about--what happened before I knew you, either,” he whispered; ”you're wrong there. I used those arguments, once, myself, but I can't any more.

We'll teach--_our son_--better, won't we, so that he'll have a cleaner heritage to offer his wife than I've got for mine--but he won't love her any more. Now, darling, go back to the house, and get some rest, if you can, but before you go to sleep, pray for me--that when Edith doesn't need you any more--I may have you for my own. And now, please, leave me--I've got to be alone--”

”Dat,” said a voice out of the darkness, ”is just vat she must nod do.”

Austin sprang to his feet. It was too dark to see more than a few feet.

But there could be no doubt that the speaker was very near, and the accent was unmistakable. Austin's voice was heavy with anger.

”_Eavesdropping, Peter_?”

”No--pardon, missus; pardon, Mr. Gray. Frieda is sick. I been lookin'

ev'ywhere for Mr. Gray to tell him. At last I hear him speak out here, I come to find. Then I overhear--I cannot help it. I try--vat you say--interrupt--it vas my vish. Beliefe me, please. But somet'ing hold me--here.” He put his hand to his throat. ”I could not. I ver' sorry. But as it is so I haf heard--I haf also some few words to speak.

”Dere vas vonce a grade lady,” he said, coming up closer to them, ”who vas so good, and so lofly, and so sveet, that no vone who saw her could help lofing her; and she vas glad to help ev'y vone, and gif to ev'y vone, and she vas so rich and vise dat she could help and gif a great deal.

”And dere vas a poor boy who vas stupid and homely and poor, and he did nodings for any vone. But it happened vone time dat dis boy t'ought dat he and the grade lady could help the same person. So he vent to her and say--but ve'r respectful, like he alvays felt to her, 'Dis is my turn.

Please, missus, let me haf it.'”

”What do you mean, Peter?” asked Sylvia gently.

He came closer still. It was not too dark, as he did so, to see the furrows which fresh tears had made on his grimy face, to be conscious of his soiled and stained working clothes, and his clumsiness of manner and carriage; but the earnest voice went on, more doggedly than sadly:

”Vat I heard 'bout Edit' to-night, I guessed dis long time ago.

Missus--if you hear that Mr. Gray done som ver' vrong t'ing--even _dis_ ver' vrong t'ing--”

”I know,” said Sylvia quickly; ”it wouldn't make any difference now--I care too much. I'd want him--if he still wanted me--just the same. I'd be hurt--oh, dreadfully hurt--but I wouldn't feel angry--or revengeful--that's what you mean, isn't it, Peter?”

”Ya-as,” said Peter gratefully, ”dats yust it, missus, only, of course I couldn't say it like dat. I t'ank you, missus. Vell, den, I lof Edit'

ever since I come here last fall, ver' much, yust like you lof Mr.

Gray--only, of course, you can't believe dat, missus.”

”Yes, I can,” said Sylvia.

”So I say,” went on Peter, looking only at Sylvia now, ”Edit' need you, but Mr. Gray, he need you, too. No vone in t'e vorld need me but Edit'.

You shall say, 'Peter's fat'er haf sent for him, Peter go back to Holland ver' quick'--vat you say, suddenly. 'Let Edit' marry Peter and go mit.'

Ve stay all vinter mit my fat'er and moder--”

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