But the same instant she turned white as death, and sat softly
down on the nearest chair.
"Good Heavens, Sepia! what is the matter? I did not mean it,"
said Hesper, remorsefully, thinking she had wounded her, and that
she had broken down in the attempt to conceal the pain.
"It's not that, Hesper, dear. Nothing you could say would hurt
me," replied Sepia, drawing breath sharply. "It's a pain that
comes sometimes--a sort of picture drawn in pains--something I
saw once."
"A picture?"
"Oh! well!--picture, or what you will!--Where's the difference,
once it's gone and done with? Yet it will get the better of me
now and then for a moment! Some day, when you are married, and a
little more used to men and their ways, I will tell you. My
little cousin is much too innocent now."
"But you have not been married, Sepia! What should you know about
disgraceful things?"
"I will tell you when you are married, and not until then,
Hesper. There's a bribe to make you a good child, and do as you
must--that is, as your father and mother and Mr. Redmain would
have you!"
While they talked, Godfrey, now seen, now vanishing, had become a
speck in the distance. Crossing a wide field, he was now no
longer to be distinguished from the grazing cattle, and so was
lost to the eyes of the ladies.
By this time he had collected his thoughts a little, and it had
grown plain to him that the last and only thing left for him to
do for Letty was to compel Tom to marry her at once.
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