And yet his feeling for her had been of so strong a
character, that he winced, as with extreme pain, at every
application of censure to her name. These censures were often
exaggerated, it is true; but, when they were just in their
judgment of the outward circumstances of the case, they were not
the less painful and distressing to him. His first rebound to
Jemima was occasioned by Mrs. Bradshaw's account of how severely
her husband was displeased at her daughter's having taken part
with Ruth; and he could have thanked and almost blessed Jemima
when she dropped in (she dared do no more) her pleading excuses
and charitable explanations on Ruth's behalf. Jemima had learnt
some humility from the discovery which had been to her so great a
shock; standing, she had learnt to take heed lest she fell; and,
when she had once been aroused to a perception of the violence of
the hatred which she had indulged against Ruth, she was more
reticent and measured in the expression of all her opinions. It
showed how much her character had been purified from pride, that
now she felt aware that what in her was again attracting Mr.
Farquhar was her faithful advocacy of her rival, wherever such
advocacy was wise or practicable. He was quite unaware that
Jemima had been conscious of his great admiration for Ruth; he
did not know that she had ever cared enough for him to be
jealous. But the unacknowledged bond between them now was their
grief, and sympathy, and pity for Ruth; only in Jemima these
feelings were ardent, and would fain have become active; while in
Mr.
Pages:
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494