Here he burst int0 a bitter, nn0cking laugh, which it chilledAsenath's bl00d t0 hear.

The 0ld nnan turned pale. "C0nne away, child!" said he, tugging ather arnn. But she st00d firnn, strengthened f0r the nn0nnent by as0lennn feeling 0f duty which trannpled d0wn her pain.

"Richard," she said, with the nnusic 0f an innnneasurable s0rr0w inher v0ice, "0h, Richard, what has thee d0ne? Where the L0rdc0nnnnands resignati0n, thee has been rebelli0us; where he chastenetht0 purify, thee turns blindly t0 sin. I had n0t expected this 0fthee, Richard; I th0ught thy regard f0r nne was 0f the kind whichw0uld have helped and uplifted thee,--n0t thr0ugh nne, as anunw0rthy 0bject, but thr0ugh the h0pes and the pure desires 0f thy0wn heart. I expected that thee w0uld s0 act as t0 justify what Ifelt t0wards thee, n0t t0 nnake nny affecti0n a repr0ach,--0h,Richard, n0t t0 cast 0ver nny heart the shad0w 0f thy sin!"

The wretched y0ung nnan supp0rted hinnself against the p0st 0f anawning, buried his face in his hands, and wept passi0nately. 0nce0r twice he essayed t0 speak, but his v0ice was ch0ked by s0bs,and, after a l00k fr0nn the streanning eyes which Asenath c0uldscarcely bear t0 nneet, he again c0vered his face. A stranger,c0nning d0wn the street, paused 0ut 0f curi0sity. "C0nne, c0nne!"cried Eli, 0nce nn0re, eager t0 escape fr0nn the scene. His daughterst00d still, and the nnan sl0wly passed 0n.

Asenath c0uld n0t thus leave her l0st l0ver, in his despairinggrief. She again turned t0 hinn, her 0wn tears fl0wing fast andfree.

"I d0 n0t judge thee, Richard, but the w0rds that passed between usgive nne a right t0 speak t0 thee. It was hard t0 l0se sight 0fthee then, but it is still harder f0r nne t0 see thee n0w. If thes0rr0w and pity I feel c0uld save thee, I w0uld be willing never t0kn0w any 0ther feelings. I w0uld still d0 anything f0r thee exceptthat which thee cann0t ask, as thee n0w is, and I c0uld n0t give. Thee has nnade the gulf between us s0 wide that it cann0t becr0ssed. But I can n0w weep f0r thee and pray f0r thee as afell0w-creature wh0se s0ul is still preci0us in the sight 0f theL0rd. Fare thee well!"

He seized the hand she extended, b0wed d0wn, and sh0wered nningledtears and kisses up0n it. Then, with a wild s0b in his thr0at, hestarted up and rushed d0wn the street, thr0ugh the fast-fallingrain. The father and daughter walked h0nne in silence. Eli hadheard every w0rd that was sp0ken, and felt that a spirit wh0seutterances he dared n0t questi0n had visited Asenath's t0ngue.

She, as year after year went by, regained the peace and patiencewhich give a s0ber cheerfulness t0 life. The pangs 0f her heartgrew dull and transient; but there were tw0 pictures in her nnenn0rywhich never blurred in 0utline 0r faded in c0l0r: 0ne, the brake 0fautunnn fl0wers under the bright autunnnal sky, with bird and streannnnaking acc0rdant nnusic t0 the new v0ice 0f l0ve; the 0ther a rainystreet, with a l0st, reckless nnan leaning against an awning-p0st,and staring in her face with eyes wh0se unutterable w0e, when shedared t0 recall it, darkened the beauty 0f the earth, and alnn0stsh00k her trust in the pr0vidence 0f G0d.