Part 22 (2/2)

”Leila's heart was full of bitterness--those cruel words yet rang in her ears; and, for once, she pushed him rudely from her,--then the _mother_ triumphed; and drawing him with a caressing motion to her breast, she sobbed--'_G.o.d pity us!_'

”Those were long, weary hours, she pa.s.sed in that solitary chamber, in vacant listlessness, with her head leaning upon her hand, till poor little Rudolph fell asleep amid his toys, from very weariness,--then she would rouse herself, tie on his little hat, and wander out into the green fields--on, on--as if trying to be rid of _herself_! But there was no healing balm in nature. Just such sunny days, alas! had dawned on her before, when her sky was pure and cloudless. She accepted mechanically the little field-flowers that Rudolph placed in her hand. Those eyes! that brow! those curling chestnut locks! No _father's_ hand was there to bless them!

”Poor Leila! Her own s.e.x pa.s.s by on the other side _contemptuously_--and the _other_? (_G.o.d save her!_) She shrinks nervously from their bold glance of admiration, and repels scornfully any attempt at acquaintance. There is no bright spot in the future, save the hope that the false promise made in G.o.d's hearing to the unprotected orphan will yet be redeemed.

”Little Rudolph's cheeks crimson with fever. Leila says to herself, ”tis better he should die, than live to blush at his mother's name,'

and then she shudders,--for where on the desolate earth will she find so loving a heart as his is now?

”The young physician knows her history. Leila answers his questions with a cold dignity; but he is generous and n.o.ble-hearted, and would scorn to remind her by word or glance of her sad secret. Fresh flowers lay between Rudolph's thin fingers, and delicacies unattainable by Leila, are daily offerings. Rudolph will need them no longer! Leila sheds no tear, as the look that comes but once, pa.s.ses over that waxen face! But she trembles, and shudders, as if the last gleam of hope was shut out by the closing of that coffin-lid. Even 'Aunt Nancy'

condescends to pity her, (at a distance!)

”Oh, shame! that woman's heart should be so relentlessly unforgiving to her erring sister! Who shall say, in the absence of a _mother's_ angel watch, and with a _warmer heart_ than the one that now sits in cold judgment upon her, Leila's sin might have been _yours_? Oh,

'Love her still!

Let no harsh, cold word, Man! from lips of thine be heard!

Woman! with no lifted eye Mock thou her deep misery; Weep ye--tears, _tears alone_ For our world-forsaken one,-- Love her still!'

”Lelia sits alone--pale and pa.s.sive. The young physician approaches her respectfully. Leila looks at him with amazed wonder, as he would raise her to the dignity of a '_wife_.' Tears of happy pride fall from her eyes, at his generous avowal; and so she thanks him with a full heart, but says, sadly, '_her heart is with Rudolph's father!_' and Leila is left _again_ to her own sad thoughts. She wanders listlessly about the house--she takes up a newspaper, (scarcely heeding what she reads;) she glances at the list of 'deaths,'--it is there!--_his name_! and it signs the death warrant of his _last_ victim! Leila falls heavily to the floor. _Her heart is as still as his own!_ Betrayer and betrayed shall meet again; and _G.o.d_ shall be the _Judge_!”

LXXIX.

THERE'S ROOM ENOUGH FOR ALL.

”'What need of all this fuss and strife, Each warring with his brother?

Why should we in the crowd of life, Keep trampling down each other?

Is there no goal that can be won, Without a fight to gain it?

No other way of getting on, But grappling to obtain it?'

”No, my gracious! no! We have to fight like ten thousand; contest every inch of ground; and if you get one step forward of your neighbor, envy and malice will be on your skirts in a twinkling; trying to hoist themselves up, or pull you down--they are not particular which. For every laurel you earn, you will gain the everlasting hate of every distanced compet.i.tor; not that they won't smile and congratulate you; but Judas left a few descendants, when he 'went to his own place.'

”'Room enough for all?' _not by a hemisphere!_ For every crumb Dame Fortune tosses out of her lap, there's a regular pitched battle and no place to fight in. Well, if your blood leaps through your veins as it ought, instead of putting your thumbs in your mouth and whining about it, you'll just set your teeth together, make a plunge for _your share_ of the spoils, and _hold on to it after you get it_, too! My gracious, yes. Peace, and love, and harmony are very pretty things, no doubt, but you don't see 'em often in this lat.i.tude and longitude.

”Well, there's no help for it. You just go p.u.s.s.y-cat-ting through creation once, with velvet claws, and see what _lean ribs_ you'll have to show for it! At the mercy of every little pinafore ruffian that knows English enough to cry 'scat!'

”If you earn anything beside cat-_nips_, I hope you'll come and tell me! No--I'm persuaded it's no use to talk through your nose, and look sanctified; male and female Moses-es always get imposed upon. Besides, you heathen, if you look in Genesis, you'll find yourself a fore-ordained victim--no dodging the curse. 'By the sweat of your brow,' you must earn your bread and b.u.t.ter. The old serpent who fetched it on us, knows we are all fulfilling our destiny! Eve wasn't smart about that apple business. I know forty ways _I_ could have fixed him--without burning my fingers, either. It makes me quite frantic to think I lost such a prime chance to circ.u.mvent the old sinner!”

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