The Argosy — page 179: what you’re looking at

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166 Charles Austen’s Love. the window, the magnificent prospect outside gladdening her eyes, Dr. Law came in. He had not attended her professionally ; for the first few days he had to be attended to himself; later, he declined to interfere. He knew that the less he saw of Lucy Dennit the better for his peace. ‘Oh, Edmund, do not come here!” she cried out in alarm. “My dear ——” ‘Edmund, do not! You must not. You are an honourable man, Edmund. Oh, Edmund, you know, you know! Why do you come here ?” ‘ But, Lucy, hear me,” he began passionately. But she would not. “Hush! do not tempt me. Heaven knows I want to do my duty. But I am weak, and you must help me with your strength : men can always be stronger than women. Edmund, you must go away from the Hall; you should not have stayed. Goatonce. I cannot keep up this wretched deceit before him, so generously unsuspecting. Go back to your home, Edmund; we must not meet again, With Heaven’s help I will be true to him to whom my plighted word is given.” In answer to this urgent and agitated appeal, Dr. Edmund Law simply bent his head and kissed her. ‘Oh, Edmund! for shame!” she cried, with flushing face. ‘‘ Have you quite lost honour ?” Edmund laughed at the appeal and imprisoned her hand in his. ‘As to going away,” he said blithely, ‘‘you must hear me first. I have something to say.” “You would not say it before your uncle,’ she returned quite indignantly, striving to be loyal and true. ‘‘Why, my dear uncle sent me in to say it,” answered Edmund. He told it then, and she listened. Great news. G/orious, she might have thought it but for being ungrateful. Charles Austen, having become acquainted with the state of affairs, had resigned her to Dr. Law. He came in himself to confirm it. His face pale, but his fine eyes sparkling with the light of a generous purpose. Lucy caught his hand within her own as she listened, tears trickling down her face. ‘Many things that I did not understand are now clear to me,” he said in conclusion. ‘‘I was too long blind: and, my dears, your young lives shall not be wrecked by the selfishness of an old fellow like me. I have lived without love hitherto; it will not be much harder so to liveon tothe end. Nay, don’t thank me, There; I'll leave you to talk it over with one another.” He went out of the room and left them together. Went out into the bright sunshine, and thought it had never seemed so golden as then. He was a little sad, but on his heart there fell a great wave of peace, Eomicbooks.co m