e brought yourself to speak. Do you think that you wish to see
him again?"

"I don't know, mamma. Upon the whole, I think not."

"Then in heaven's name let me write and tell him so."

"Stop a moment, mamma. There are two persons here to be
considered,--or rather, three."

"I would not have you think of me in such a question."

"I know you would not; but never mind, and let me go on. The three of
us are concerned, at any rate; you, and he, and I. I am thinking of
him now. We have all suffered, but I do believe that hitherto he has
had the worst of it."

"And who had deserved the worst?"

"Mamma, how can you go back in that way? We have agreed that that
should be regarded as done and gone. He has been very unhappy, and
now we see what remedy he proposes to himself for his misery. Do I
flatter myself if I allow myself to look at it in that way?"

"Perhaps he thinks he is offering a remedy for your misery."

As this was said Lily turned round slowly and looked up into her
mother's face. "Mamma," she said, "that is very cruel. I did not
think you could be so cruel. How can you, who believe him to be so
selfish, think that?"

"It is very hard to judge of men's motives. I have never supposed him
to be so black that he would not wish to make atonement for the evil
he has done."

"If I thought that, there certainly could be but one answer."

"Who can look into a man's heart and judge all the sources of his
actions? There are mixed feelings there, no doubt. Remorse for what
he has done; regret for what he has lost;--something, perhaps, of the
purity of love."

"Yes, something,--I hope something,--for his sake."

"But when a horse kicks and bites, you know his nature and do not go
near him. When a man has cheated you once, you think he will cheat
you again, and you do not deal with him. You do not look to gather
grapes from thistles, after you have found that they are thistles."

"I still go for the roses though I have often torn my hand with
thorns in looking for them."

"But you do not pluck those that have become cankered in the
blowing."

"Because he was once at fault, will he be cankered always?"

"I would not trust him."

"Now, mamma, see how different we are; or, rather, how different it
is when one judges for oneself or for another. If it were simply
myself, and my own future fate in life, I would trust him with it all
to-morrow, without a word. I should go to him as a gambler goes to
the gaming-t