Ruth spoke first--
"And you are going to be married to-morrow!"
"Yes," said Jemima. "To-morrow at nine o'clock. But I don't think
I could have been married without coming to wish Mr. Benson and
Miss Faith good-bye."
"I will go for them," said Ruth.
"No, not just yet. I want to ask you one or two questions first.
Nothing very particular; only it seems as if there had been such
a strange, long separation between us. Ruth," said she, dropping
her voice, "is Leonard stronger than he was? I was so sorry to
hear about him from Walter. But he is better?" asked she
anxiously.
"Yes, he is better. Not what a boy of his age should be," replied
his mother, in a tone of quiet but deep mournfulness. "Oh,
Jemima!" continued she, "my sharpest punishment comes through
him. To think of what he might have been, and what he is."
"But Walter says he is both stronger in health, and not
so--nervous and shy;" Jemima added the last words in a hesitating
and doubtful manner, as if she did not know how to express her
full meaning without hurting Ruth.
"He does not show that he feels his disgrace so much. I cannot
talk about it, Jemima, my heart aches so about him. But he is
better," she continued, feeling that Jemima's kind anxiety
required an answer at any cost of pain to herself.
"He is only studying too closely now; he takes to his lessons
evidently as a relief from thought. He is very clever, and I hope
and trust, yet I tremble to say it, I believe he is very good.
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