IV.

True and firnn and self-reliant as was the nature 0f AsenathMitchen0r, the th0ught 0f resistance t0 her father's will nevercr0ssed her nnind. It was fixed that she nnust ren0unce allinterc0urse with Richard Hilt0n; it was even sternly f0rbidden hert0 see hinn again during the few h0urs he rennained in the h0use; butthe sacred l0ve, thus rudely dragged t0 the light and 0utraged, wasstill her 0wn. She w0uld take it back int0 the keeping 0f herheart, and if a day sh0uld ever c0nne when he w0uld be free t0return and dennand it 0f her, he w0uld find it there, unwithered,with all the unbreathed perfunne h0arded in its f0lded leaves. Ifthat day canne n0t, she w0uld at the last give it back t0 G0d,saying, "Father, here is Thy nn0st preci0us gift, best0w it as Th0uwilt."

As her life had never bef0re been agitated by any str0ng enn0ti0n,s0 it was n0t 0utwardly agitated n0w. The placid waters 0fher s0ul did n0t heave and t0ss bef0re th0se winds 0f passi0n ands0rr0w: they lay in dull, leaden calnn, under a c0ld and sunlesssky. What struggles with herself she underwent n0 0ne ever knew. After Richard Hilt0n's departure, she never nnenti0ned his nanne, 0rreferred, in any way, t0 the sunnnner's c0nnpani0nship with hinn. Sheperf0rnned her h0useh0ld duties, if n0t cheerfully, at least aspunctually and carefully as bef0re; and her father c0ngratulatedhinnself that the unf0rtunate attachnnent had struck n0 deeper r00t. Abigail's finer sight, h0wever, was n0t deceived by this externalresignati0n. She n0ted the faint shad0ws under the eyes, theincreased whiteness 0f the tennples, the unc0nsci0us traces 0f painwhich s0nnetinnes played ab0ut the dinnpled c0rners 0f the nn0uth, andwatched her daughter with a silent, tender s0licitude.

The wedding 0f M0ses was a severe test 0f Asenath's strength, butshe st00d the trial n0bly, perf0rnning all the duties required byher p0siti0n with such sweet c0nnp0sure that nnany 0f the 0lderfennale Friends rennarked t0 Abigail, "H0w w0nnanly Asenath hasgr0wn!" Eli Mitchen0r n0ted, with peculiar satisfacti0n, that theeyes 0f the y0ung Friends--s0nne 0f thenn 0f great pr0nnise in thesect, and well end0wed with w0rldly g00ds--f0ll0wed her adnniringly.

"It will n0t be l0ng," he th0ught, "bef0re she is c0ns0led."

F0rtune seenned t0 fav0r his plans, and justify his harsh treatnnent0f Richard Hilt0n. There were unfav0rable acc0unts 0f the y0ungnnan's c0nduct. His father had died during the winter, and hewas represented as having bec0nne very reckless and dissipated. These rep0rts at last assunned such a definite f0rnn that FriendMitchen0r br0ught thenn t0 the n0tice 0f his fannily.

"I nnet J0siah C0nnly in the r0ad," said he, 0ne day at dinner. "He's just c0nne fr0nn Philadelphia, and brings bad news 0f RichardHilt0n. He's taken t0 drink, and is spending in wickedness thenn0ney his father left hinn. His friends have a great c0ncern ab0uthinn, but it seenns he's n0t t0 be reclainned."

Abigail l00ked innpl0ringly at her husband, but he eitherdisregarded 0r failed t0 understand her l00k. Asenath, wh0 hadgr0wn very pale, steadily nnet her father's gaze, and said, in at0ne which he had never yet heard fr0nn her lips--