The Argosy — page 154: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Secret as the Grave. I4I “ Accept it! why truly she did, and declared that no one divined her sorrow like ourselves.” ‘¢ Mother, it must not be.” ‘And wherefore, Edward?” adding somewhat coldly, ‘I thought you wished to serve Lena; and I know she has the highest regard for you.” Edward was a poor hand at excuses, but he at length satisfied his mother (whose only wish was to help the widow) by proposing that Lena should succeed Mercy Usher, recently dead, in taking charge of the church and washing the surplice, at the usual salary ; living in the cottage on the glebe rent free. His feelings towards her were little changed. With the deep sense of duty and chivalric fortitude by which he was sustained, he had schooled his heart to regard her after marriage as a being beautiful indeed, and expressive of joy, but with whom he could have no other than spiritual concern: Well had he borne his part, although the struggle had drawn upon his years. But now the barrier was broken by her severe sorrow and solitude, and his strong love, graced by womanly tenderness, turned freely, though silently, towards her. How deeply, therefore, was he grieved when, upon her removal to the glebe cottage, Lena seemed to grow reserved and timid, and unlike herself. He did not know until long afterwards what idle rumour had whispered in her ear, that the minister held her not worthy to attend upon his mother, and she half believed what she feared. He thought ‘perhaps it is the hidden grief which alters thus the mind,” and he strove the more earnestly to interest her, and to bring back the old cheerful greeting and the look which assured a welcome. In this he succeeded after much weary waiting. Lena was now twenty-eight years old, still possessing ‘the unhappy gift of beauty.” She had never been hke her humbler neighbours, and good-nature alone preserved her from their envy. In her homely dress she always looked a lady of the land, and sometimes when Edward B—— walked to the cottage certain lines of a book which he had lately bought crossed his mind :— ‘When I approach . Her loveliness, so absolute she seems, And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best ; All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded.”’ Years passed. ‘To Lena that sharp separation from him she loved so well had lost its sting. ‘The sorrow had been mellowed by sun- light, the night had slowly given way to dawn. ‘The rector had become middle-aged, but Lena was in the flower of womanhood. And now Edward noticed with a thrill of pleasure, like that of earlier years, that the tender chords of his own heart had met with respon- CoOnniclooolkks (CO)