Part 12 (1/2)
Lillian aroused herself after a long silence.
”You give me more praise, darling, than I deserve,” she said. ”I am as incapable as yourself in performing these little touches of the fine arts which you see every day on my table. Black Tezzie can alone teach you the mysteries of a skill she so fortunately possesses. Do not look so incredulous, or I shall be obliged to prove it to you,” she smiled.
”I am not unbelieving, sweet Lily-Bell,” she answered, ”but I confess that you have surprised me. I should sooner have suspected either of the other servants of such a gift as that ungainly biped,” Grace laughed, but Lillian remained silent.
”This only proves that it is sometimes impossible to read the soul from the outside, my pretty cousin. I learned long ago that there was more beauty and a brighter reflection of heavenly glory shut up in that ebony casket, so unprepossessing in its general make-up, than in half the more graceful and elegant ones. But perhaps you are among the number who believe that these dark forms we see every day have no souls within them?”
”Why, Lily-Bell! what a suspicion. Still, how am I supposed to have any knowledge regarding the matter, seeing I have never dissected one of them?”
A gesture of impatience followed this remark, but her companion did not appear to notice it, for she continued:
”I believe that Old Auntie has as pure and white a soul as ever inhabited an earthly tenement. I have laid my head on her bosom with a deeper sense of rest than it was possible for me to obtain elsewhere.
Her prayers that have gone up so continually for 'de poor wee lamb' have imparted more real comfort and hope to this tempest-tossed soul of mine than any that could have ascended from consecrated temples. No soul?
What could I ever have done without her in this life? And my antic.i.p.ations regarding the brighter one to follow are stronger to-day because of her.”
Grace Stanley arose from her seat and walked to the window, while her companion did not fail to perceive that a cloud had risen and was spreading itself over her features. Not wis.h.i.+ng to press the subject further, she remarked calmly:
”Some of our company are leaving to-day, and George St. Clair wished me to hand over to you his adieus, as he departed in great haste, regretting the fact that he was not able to meet you again.”
At the first sound of her voice Grace had returned to her seat upon the carpet, and Lillian, taking the sweet face between her little hands, gazed tenderly into it, as she continued:
”You will pardon me, darling cousin, I know, but did you not hear our conversation in the rose arbor, at the foot of the lower terrace, two hours ago?”
The dimples stole out of the cheeks the soft, white hands of the interrogator was pressing so lovingly, and the light joyousness in her bright, sparkling eyes became dimmed, while a veil of crimson spread itself over it all. The head bowed low as it released itself from its imprisonment, and tears that had long been struggling to be free came now unrestrainedly.
”I do not chide you, darling; I knew you were not far away, for I had espied a portion of your white dress fluttering through a crevice of the vine outside of the trestle-work, and rejoiced that it was so.”
”I would not have remained, Lillian, had not my dress become so entangled that I could not loosen it without revealing my presence.
Believe me, cousin, I was not a willing listener. You will not doubt this?”
”Certainly not; and, darling, let me a.s.sure you that my heart is lighter for the circ.u.mstance, for we are confidants now. I have had such a longing to tell you all; but this one secret had become habitual to me.
The very thought of revealing it filled me with a nervous horror. But it is over now, and by and by I want to impart to your tender sympathies half of the burden I have so long carried. You do not know how unendurable its weight has become. O Grace, it is dreadful to be obliged to endure for years the pains of a wounded heart. To feel its throbbings day after day without the power to claim a panacea from another's love.”
Grace started.
”It must be true,” she thought, ”and am I to thus endure?”
Ah! little did she know how the first deep wounds, that seemingly ”will never heal,” can be soothed in some hearts, while in others no power can a.s.suage the pain. Grace Stanley could forget, for the suns.h.i.+ne of her nature was salutary.
At this juncture Tezzie appeared in the doorway, and announced that ”Missus wanted do young ladies to dress fine for dinner, for Ma.s.sa Charles was coming back wid a strange gemman.”
”Very well, we will be ready in good time,” replied Lillian. ”Now go and call Agnes to arrange my hair.”
The dark, dumpy figure disappeared from sight, and Lillian, bowing her head, kissed again the pure white forehead of her companion.
”To-morrow, dear, I want your little heart to beat in sympathy with my own. Good by,” and Grace left the room.