be
severed from the body and perish, even while the body survives; but it is
not so with that which has been created in the image of the deity. That is
imperishable, immortal, spiritual, though doomed to dwell awhile in a
tenement of clay. Now, why is it more difficult to believe that pure
divinity may have entered into the person of one man, than to _believe_,
nay to _feel_, that the image of God has entered into the persons of so
many myriads of men? You not only overlook all this, Roswell, but you
commit the, to me inexplicable, mistake of believing a part of a mystery,
while you hesitate about believing all. Were you to deny the merits of the
atonement altogether, your position would be much stronger than it is in
believing what you do. But, Roswell, we will not embitter the moment of
separation by talking more on this subject, now. I have other things to
say to you, and but little time to say them in. The promise you have asked
of me to remain single until your return, I most freely make. It costs me
nothing to give you _this_ pledge, since there is scarce a possibility of
my ever marrying another."

Mary repeated these words, or rather this idea in other words, to Roswell
Gardiner's great delight; and again and again he declared that he could
now penetrate the icy seas with a light heart, confident he should find
her, on his return, disengaged, and, as he hoped, as much disposed to
regard him with interest as she then was. Nevertheless, Gardiner did not
deceive himself as to Mary's intentions. He knew her and her principles
too well, to fancy that her resolution would be very likely to falter.
Notwithstanding their long and intimate knowledge of each other, at no
time had she ever betrayed a weakness that promised to undermine her high
sense of duty; and as time increased her means of judging of what those
duties were, her submission to them seemed to be stronger and stronger.
Had there been anything stern or repulsive in Mary's manner of manifesting
the feeling that was uppermost in her mind, one of Roswell Gardiner's
temperament would have been very apt to shake off her influence; but, so
far from this being the case, she ever met him and parted from him with a
gentle and ingenuous interest in his welfare, and occasionally with much
womanly tenderness. He knew that she prayed for him daily, as fervently as
she prayed for herself; and even this, he hoped, would serve to keep alive
her interest in him, during his a