e theatre, as I had intended doing, I walked away with the
doctor to my sister-in-law's poor abode.

"It was a most wretched room. Yet the first object in it that caught my
eye was a very beautiful one. Near the invalid's bed stood her little
girl, with large black eyes, pretty curly hair, and a face whose
expression was a pathetic combination of youthful brightness and
premature sadness. At the first glance I could have taken the lovely
creature into my arms; then I sternly repressed this alien emotion. The
doctor, after he had spoken a few words to his patient, beckoned me to
approach. As I did so the poor woman tried to raise herself. The mixture
of sadness and pride upon her faded countenance told me plainly how
great an effort it had cost her to appeal to me. Using the strongest
plea that she knew, she pointed to her child with weak, trembling
finger, and said in low tones: 'See here! She will soon be alone in the
world.'

"Even this touching appeal produced (I blush to say it) no effect upon
my hard heart. I answered coldly: 'Why give way to such fears? You are
young; you have a good physician; why lose all hope?' A less selfish man
would have added: 'You have a brother-in-law also, who means to do his
best for you.' But _I_ said nothing of the sort. My only thought was how
I might most easily escape from the threatened burden. The little girl,
who had been gazing at me with wondering eyes, now came to my side, and
said: 'Will you, please, sit upon the bed? Because you are too tall for
me to kiss you if you stand.'

"I sat down, and the child climbed upon my knee. Her mother's eyes were
closed, and her hands were clasped together as if in prayer.
Unaffrighted by my black looks, the little one threw her arms around my
neck, and pressed her lips to my cheek. 'Will you be my papa?' said she.
'I will love you so dearly! You are like papa. He was very good. Are
_you_ good, too?' My only answer was to unclasp her arms somewhat
roughly from my neck, and set her down upon the floor. She cast upon me
a glance of mingled surprise, disappointment, and fear, and a tear
rolled slowly down her cheek. Her silent sorrow worked the miracle that
her pretty, fond prattle had failed to effect. As by an enchanter's
wand, the ugliness of my character, the utter brutality of my conduct
was revealed to me in that moment. I shuddered in horror and
self-disgust, and yielded at once to my good angel. I lifted the
disconsolate little maid