What harm could come of it? and, if
harm did, how could she help it! If they had been kind to her,
she would have told them everything, but they all frightened her
so, she could not speak. It was not her fault if Tom was the only
friend she had! She _would_ ask his advice; he was sure to
advise her just the right thing. He had read that sonnet about
the wise virgin with such feeling and such force, he _must_
know what a girl ought to do, and how she ought to behave to
those who were unkind and would not trust her.
Poor Letty! she had no stay, no root in herself yet. Well do I
know not one human being ought, even were it possible, to be
enough for himself; each of us needs God and every human soul he
has made, before he has enough; but we ought each to be able, in
the hope of what is one day to come, to endure for a time, not
having enough. Letty was unblamable that she desired the comfort
of humanity around her soul, but I am not sure that she was quite
unblamable in not being fit to walk a few steps alone, or even to
sit still and expect. With all his learning, Godfrey had not
taught her what William Marston had taught Mary; and now her
heart was like a child left alone in a great room. She had not
yet learned that we must each bear his own burden, and so become
able to bear each the burden of the other. Poor friends we are,
if we are capable only of leaning, and able never to support.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115