"I read
yours at sight, and you are what I set you down; and nobody must breathe
a word against you, not even yourself. Do you think I am blind? You are
beautiful, you are good, you are my sister, and I love you!"
"Heaven forgive me!" thought the other. "How can I resign this angel's
good opinion? Surely Heaven sends this blessed dew to my parched heart!"
And now she burned to make good her promise and earn this virtuous wife's
love. She folded her once more in her arms, and then, taking her by the
hand, led her tenderly into Triplet's inner room. She made her lie down
on the bed, and placed pillows high for her like a mother, and leaned
over her as she lay, and pressed her lips gently to her forehead. Her
fertile brain had already digested a plan, but she had resolved that this
pure and candid soul should take no lessons of deceit. "Lie there," said
she, "till I open the door: then join us. Do you know what I am going to
do? I am not going to restore you your husband's heart, but to show you
it never really left you. You read faces; well, I read circumstances.
Matters are not as you thought," said she, with all a woman's tact. "I
cannot explain, but you will see." She then gave Mrs. Triplet peremptory
orders not to let her charge rise from the bed until the preconcerted
signal.
Mrs. Vane was, in fact, so exhausted by all she had gone through that she
was in no condition to resist.
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