Benson's weary spine, was done by her with
sunny alacrity. But, most of all, Leonard's heart rejoiced when
his mother came home. Then came the quiet confidences, the tender
exchange of love, the happy walks from which he returned stronger
and stronger--going from strength to strength as his mother led
the way. It was well, as they saw now, that the great shock of
the disclosure had taken place when it did. She, for her part,
wondered at her own cowardliness in having even striven to keep
back the truth from her child--the truth that was so certain to
be made clear, sooner or later, and which it was only owing to
God's mercy that she was alive to encounter with him, and, by so
encountering, shield and give him good courage. Moreover, in her
secret heart, she was thankful that all occurred while he was yet
too young to have much curiosity as to his father. If an
unsatisfied feeling of this kind occasionally stole into his
mind, at any rate she never heard any expression of it; for the
past was a sealed book between them. And so, in the bright
strength of good endeavour, the days went on, and grew again to
months and years. Perhaps one little circumstance which occurred
during this time had scarcely external importance enough to be
called an event; but in Mr. Benson's mind it took rank as such.
One day, about a year after Richard Bradshaw had ceased to be a
partner in his father's house, Mr.
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