The Argosy — page 388: what you’re looking at

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

" My Saturdays. 365 therefore doubly glad to see Charlotte Stamwood enter my room on the first day when I was sitting up. After mutual enquiries, &c., I asked her if her father had seen Herman lately. ** Ves,” she said, gravely ; “‘ he was there yesterday, but he can only stay for a few minutes at.a time. Mr. Pothinger likes to see him, but he is in too great pain to be able even to listen long—much less speak.” | ‘Then he has not made much progress towards getting well yet ?” *T don’t think he has begun.” “Oh, Charlotte,’ I cried, the tears starting into my eyes, for I felt weak and low, ‘“‘ what a miserable ending to such a pleasant day!” “If you feel that,” she answered, “what do you suppose I feel? I—who was enjoying myself all day like a child, using his unselfish thoughtfulness as if it were a matter of course, taking all the good of the pleasures he had given, but could never share; and then let him go to his death on my errands.” “You could not have stopped him,” I said ; “‘ it is absurd to blame yourself.” “T could, if I had thought of it in time ; but I was only thinking of my bracelet. It was clutched in his hand when I pulled him out ; I have it now: he ought to have thrown it in my face, like the lady’s glove in Schiller’s ballad.” ** Charlotte,” I said severely ; ‘it is not like you to be so morbid. You never asked or wished Herman to go for it ; nobody could have anticipated that if he did go he would come upon the unsafe ice; you did your utmost to stop him, and if he lives, your courage and presence of mind will have saved his life. If he dies, it may be the happiest thing for him, for life had not much to offer him, and it will be sweet to him to die in serving you.” ** That is the worst of it,” she said ina lowtone. ‘I cannot bear to think of his dying; and yet, what shall I do if he gets well?” I was silent. ** You heard what he said before he fainted ?” Yes.” “Can’t you help me? I would not ask you if I had not thought and cried myself stupid in trying to see what is right ? ” “‘ My dear Charlotte, it doesn’t exactly seem to me a matter of right or wrong. Consult your own heart.” “My heart! Mrs. Singleton, you don’t fancy that I can be in love with him, poor fellow! ” “It did not seem probable, of course. Still, you are not like all other girls, and you seemed to like talking to him, and so on, I must own that I did think you were fond of him.” “Fond of him! that is exactly what I am. I wanted to try and comfort him, and help him along a bit, just as one takes a tired child by the hand; and now he turns round, and begs to be taken up in my arms! And I am so sorry for him, and he is so good, and loves me EONNIE OOO KS (EO)