Could his mother mar it? Could she break into it with her
Martha-like cares? Only for one moment did she remember her sense
of injury,--her wasted trouble,--and then her whole woman's heart
heaving with motherly love and sympathy, she opened her arms, and
received Mary into them, as shedding tears of agitated joy, she
murmured in her ear--
"Bless thee, Mary, bless thee! Only make him happy, and God bless
thee for ever!"
It took some of Jem's self-command to separate those whom he so much
loved, and who were beginning, for his sake, to love one another so
dearly. But the time for his meeting John Barton drew on: and it
was a long way to his house.
As they walked briskly thither they hardly spoke; though many
thoughts were in their minds.
The sun had not long set, but the first faint shade of twilight was
over all; and when they opened the door, Jem could hardly perceive
the objects within by the waning light of day, and the flickering
fire-blaze.
But Mary saw all at a glance.
Her eye, accustomed to what was usual in the aspect of the room, saw
instantly what was unusual,--saw and understood it all.
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