Marian, with tearful eyes and eager hands, broke the seal and read,
while Jacquelina watched her. For more than half an hour Jacko watched
her, and then impatience overcame discretion in the bosom of the fairy,
and she suddenly exclaimed:
"Well, Marian! I do wonder what can ail you? You grow pale, and then you
grow red; your bosom heaves, the tears come in your eyes, you clasp your
hands tightly together as in prayer, then you smile and raise your eyes
as in thanksgiving! Now, I do wonder what it all means?"
"It means, dear Jacquelina, that I am the most grateful creature upon
the face of the earth, just now; and to-morrow I will tell you why I am
so," said Marian, with a rosy smile. And well she might be most grateful
and most happy, for that letter had brought her assurance of fortune
beyond her greatest desires. On reading the news, her very first thought
had been of Thurston. Now the great objection of the miser to their
marriage would be removed--the great obstacle to their immediate union
overcome. Thurston would be delivered from temptation; she would be
saved anxiety and suspense. "Yes; I will meet him this evening; I cannot
keep this blessed news from him a day longer than necessary, for this
fortune that has come to me will all be his own! Oh, how rejoiced I am
to be the means of enriching him! How much good we can both do!"
These were the tumultuous, generous thoughts that sent the flush to
Marian's cheeks, the smiles to her lips, and the tears to her eyes; that
caused those white fingers to clasp, and those clear eyes to rise to
Heaven in thankfulness, as she folded up her treasured letter and placed
it in her bosom.
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