He had fallen in love with a young lady,
and seen the beauty of virtue, and was going to marry her and lead a
good life. But he was a man of honor, and there was a lady for whom he
thought it was his duty to provide. He set his lawyer to draw a deed,
and his lawyer appointed a day for signing it at her house. The poor
man came because his lawyer told him. Do you think there was any great
harm in that?"
"No; of course not."
"Well, then, he lost his love for that."
Miss Bruce's color began to come and go, and her supple figure to
crouch a little. She said nothing.
The Sister continued: "Some malicious person went and told the young
lady's father the gentleman was in the habit of visiting that lady, and
would be with her at a certain hour. And so he was; but it was the
lawyer's appointment, you know. You seem agitated."
"No, no; not agitated," said Bella, "but astonished; it is so like a
story I know. A young lady, a friend of mine, had an anonymous letter,
telling her that one she loved and esteemed was unworthy. But what you
have told me shows me how deceitful appearances may be. What was your
patient's name?"
"It is against our rules to tell that. But you said an 'anonymous
letter.' Was your friend so weak as to believe an anonymous letter? The
writer of such a letter is a coward, and a coward always is a liar.
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