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pious hope or resignation, or calling to mind the consolations of the gospel and the great love of Christ.
‘I trust,’ said I, ‘that the feelings of the community were softened towards her.’
‘You know what human nature is,’ returned the
Doctor, ‘and with what hearty satisfaction we abhor and censure sin and folly in others.
It is a luxury which we cannot easily forego, although our own experience tells us that the consequences of vice and error are evil and bitter enough without the aggravation of ridicule and reproach from without.
So you need not be surprised to learn that, in poor
Julia's case, the charity of sinners like herself did not keep pace with the mercy and forgiveness of Him who is infinite in purity.
Nevertheless, I will do our people the justice to say that her blameless and self-sacrificing life was not without its proper effect upon them.’
‘What became of
Robert Barnet?’
I inquired.
He came back after an absence of several months, and called on me before he had even seen his father and mother.
He did not mention Julia; but I saw that his errand with me concerned her. I spoke of her excellent deportment and her useful life, dwelt upon the extenuating circumstances of her error and of her sincere and hearty repentance.
“Doctor,” said he, at length, with a hesitating and embarrassed manner, “what should you think if I should tell you that, after all that has passed, I have half made up my mind to ask her to become my wife?”
