\"poor maria!\" replied mr. hale, tenderly. \"poor, poor maria! oh, if iwere not married--if i were but myself in the world, how easy it wouldbe! as it is--margaret, i dare not tell her!\"

\"no,\" said margaret, sadly, \"i will do it. give me till to-morrow eveningto choose my time oh, papa,\" cried she, with sudden passionateentreaty, \"say--tell me it is a night-mare--a horrid dream--not the realwaking truth! you cannot mean that you are really going to leāve the

church--to give up helstone--to be for ever separate from me, frommamma--led away by some delusion--some temptation! you do notreally mean it!\"

mr. hale sat in rigid stillness while she spoke.

then he looked her in the face, and said in a slow, hoarse, measuredway--\"i do mean it, margaret. you must not deceive yourself intodoubting the reality of my words--my fixed intention and resolve.\" helooked at her in the same steady, stony manner, for some moments afterhe had done speaking. she, too, gazed back with pleading eyes beforeshe would believe that it was irrevocable. then she arose and went,without another word or look, towards the door. as her fingers were onthe handle he called her back. he was standing by the fireplace, shrunkand stooping; but as she came near he drew himself up to his fullheight, and, placing his hands on her head, he said, solemnly:

\"the blessing of god be upon thee, my child!\"

\"and may he restore you to his church,\" responded she, out of thefulness of her heart. the next moment she feared lest this answer to hisblessing might be irreverent, wrong--might hurt him as ing from hisdaughter, and she threw her arms round his neck. he held her to him fora minute or two. she heard him murmur to himself, \"the martyrs andconfessors had even more pain to bear--i will not shrink.\"

they were startled by hearing mrs. hale inquiring for her daughter.

they started asunder in the full consciousness of all that was beforethem. mr. hale hurriedly said--\"go, margaret, go. i shall be out all tomorrow.

before night you will hāve told your mother.\"

\"yes,\" she replied, and she returned to the drawing-room in a stunnedand dizzy state.

.xiaoshuotco

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