He happened to find her alone. With all her
playfulness of character, the poor fairy had too much self-respect to
relate the scene to which she had been exposed the day before. So she
contented herself with saying:
"I found no opportunity of delivering your note, Thurston, and so I
thought it best to destroy it."
"I thank you. Under the circumstances that was best," replied the young
man, much relieved. When he reached home, he sat down and wrote a long
and eloquent epistle, imploring Marian's forgiveness for his rashness
and folly, assuring her of his continued love and admiration; speaking
of the impossibility of living longer without her society--informing her
of his intention to go to Paris, and proposing that she should either
precede or follow him thither, and join him in that city. It was her
duty, he urged, to follow her husband.
The following Sunday, after church, Marian placed her answer in his
hands. The letter was characteristic of her--clear, firm, frank and
truthful. It concluded thus:
"Were I to do as you desire me--leave home clandestinely, precede or
follow you to Paris and join you there, suspicion and calumny would
pursue me--obloquy would rest upon my memory. All these things I could
bear, were it necessary in a good cause; but here it is not necessary,
and would be wrong.
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