This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched
on the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing
of peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church,
and soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place,
and whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt
signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time.
Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses
had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should
have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father.
Vague yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers
had usurped the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And
through it all, her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him
on whose pale features she had gazed so long and who had ventured and
suffered so much for her, nay, who had started into a moment's life
for her protection! All the tumult of resentment at the deception
practised on her fell on the uncle rather than the nephew; and in
spite of this long year of tender kindness and consideration from the
recluse, there was a certain consideration from the recluse, there
was a certain leaping of heart at finding herself bound not to him
but to the youth whose endearments returned with a flood of tender
remembrance.
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