'Twenty times again,' said Richard.'Margaret, she haunts me.She comes behind me in the street, and thrusts it in my hand.I hear her foot upon the ashes when I'm at my work (ha, ha! that an't often), and before I can turn my head, her voice is in my ear, saying, "Richard, don't look round.For Heaven's love, give her this!" She brings it where I live: she sends it in letters; she taps at the window and lays it on the sill.What CAN I do? Look at it!"He held out in his hand a little purse, and chinked the money it enclosed.
'Hide it,' sad Meg.'Hide it! When she comes again, tell her, Richard, that I love her in my soul.That I never lie down to sleep, but I bless her, and pray for her.That, in my solitary work, I never cease to have her in my thoughts.That she is with me, night and day.That if I died to-morrow, I would remember her with my last breath.But, that I cannot look upon it!'
He slowly recalled his hand, and crushing the purse together, said with a kind of drowsy thoughtfulness:
'I told her so.I told her so, as plain as words could speak.
I've taken this gift back and left it at her door, a dozen times since then.But when she came at last, and stood before me, face to face, what could I do?'
'You saw her!' exclaimed Meg.'You saw her! O, Lilian, my sweet girl! O, Lilian, Lilian!'
'I saw her,' he went on to say, not answering, but engaged in the same slow pursuit of his own thoughts.'There she stood:
trembling! "How does she look, Richard? Does she ever speak of me? Is she thinner? My old place at the table: what's in my old place? And the frame she taught me our old work on - has she burnt it, Richard!" There she was.I heard her say it.'
Meg checked her sobs, and with the tears streaming from her eyes, bent over him to listen.Not to lose a breath.
With his arms resting on his knees; and stooping forward in his chair, as if what he said were written on the ground in some half legible character, which it was his occupation to decipher and connect; he went on.
'"Richard, I have fallen very low; and you may guess how much Ihave suffered in having this sent back, when I can bear to bring it in my hand to you.But you loved her once, even in my memory, dearly.Others stepped in between you; fears, and jealousies, and doubts, and vanities, estranged you from her; but you did love her, even in my memory!" I suppose I did,' he said, interrupting himself for a moment.'I did! That's neither here nor there - "ORichard, if you ever did; if you have any memory for what is gone and lost, take it to her once more.Once more! Tell her how Ilaid my head upon your shoulder, where her own head might have lain, and was so humble to you, Richard.Tell her that you looked into my face, and saw the beauty which she used to praise, all gone: all gone: and in its place, a poor, wan, hollow cheek, that she would weep to see.Tell her everything, and take it back, and she will not refuse again.She will not have the heart!"'
So he sat musing, and repeating the last words, until he woke again, and rose.
'You won't take it, Margaret?'
She shook her head, and motioned an entreaty to him to leave her.
'Good night, Margaret.'
'Good night!'
He turned to look upon her; struck by her sorrow, and perhaps by the pity for himself which trembled in her voice.It was a quick and rapid action; and for the moment some flash of his old bearing kindled in his form.In the next he went as he had come.Nor did this glimmer of a quenched fire seem to light him to a quicker sense of his debasement.
In any mood, in any grief, in any torture of the mind or body, Meg's work must be done.She sat down to her task, and plied it.
Night, midnight.Still she worked.
She had a meagre fire, the night being very cold; and rose at intervals to mend it.The Chimes rang half-past twelve while she was thus engaged; and when they ceased she heard a gentle knocking at the door.Before she could so much as wonder who was there, at that unusual hour, it opened.
O Youth and Beauty, happy as ye should be, look at this.O Youth and Beauty, blest and blessing all within your reach, and working out the ends of your Beneficent Creator, look at this!
She saw the entering figure; screamed its name; cried 'Lilian!'
It was swift, and fell upon its knees before her: clinging to her dress.
'Up, dear! Up! Lilian! My own dearest!'
'Never more, Meg; never more! Here! Here! Close to you, holding to you, feeling your dear breath upon my face!'
'Sweet Lilian! Darling Lilian! Child of my heart - no mother's love can be more tender - lay your head upon my breast!'
'Never more, Meg.Never more! When I first looked into your face, you knelt before me.On my knees before you, let me die.Let it be here!'
'You have come back.My Treasure! We will live together, work together, hope together, die together!'
'Ah! Kiss my lips, Meg; fold your arms about me; press me to your bosom; look kindly on me; but don't raise me.Let it be here.Let me see the last of your dear face upon my knees!'
O Youth and Beauty, happy as ye should be, look at this! O Youth and Beauty, working out the ends of your Beneficent Creator, look at this!
'Forgive me, Meg! So dear, so dear! Forgive me! I know you do, Isee you do, but say so, Meg!'
She said so, with her lips on Lilian's cheek.And with her arms twined round - she knew it now - a broken heart.
'His blessing on you, dearest love.Kiss me once more! He suffered her to sit beside His feet, and dry them with her hair.OMeg, what Mercy and Compassion!'
As she died, the Spirit of the child returning, innocent and radiant, touched the old man with its hand, and beckoned him away.