LOVE HAD CONQUERED PRIDE
Dr. Sargeant now came forward, saying:
“Miss Douglas, do you realize how serious this matter is? Have you
considered what your position will be in the world henceforth?”
He did not like to have the lawyer escape so easily.
“I realize, doctor, that I am no longer an heiress to great wealth, as
every one has thus far supposed—that there is no longer a life of
idleness and pleasure for me. On the contrary, I must go out into the
world and work for my living,” Brownie replied, lifting her grave eyes
to the doctor’s face, while there was a touch of dignity in her manner
which he had never seen before.
“Mr. Conrad,” he said, turning to the lawyer, “this is a very grave
matter. How do your own affairs stand?”
“Much the same as Miss Douglas’. I have nothing in the world except what
I earn from day to day. If I had money of my own, do you suppose I would
have touched any one else’s?” he asked, a flash of indignation kindling
his eyes, and his fine form for a moment becoming erect.
“Pardon me. No. But who is this ward of yours?”
“Miss Emily Eliot.”
“Where is she now?”
“In my own family. She has never known of her loss; I have provided for
her every need and want by the labor of my own hands. I never intend
that she shall know of it while I live—if I am taken away it will have
to come out.
“And, Miss Douglas,” turning eagerly to Brownie, “if you do not utterly
hate me for the trouble which I have brought upon you, will you, too,
come to my home and let me provide the comforts of life for you? I can
easily do that; I have no one but my wife and Miss Elliot, and my
business will give me enough to support you all comfortably.”
“It is well thought of, Mr. Conrad,” said Mr. Ashley, approvingly.
“Oh, Mr. Ashley, and you, doctor, you can never know the suffering which
this thing has brought upon me,” Mr. Conrad continued, rising, and
pacing the floor nervously. “I thought I was an honorable man—I am an
honorable man at heart now, but my zeal to do well by my friend’s child,
my zeal that no one should suffer who had placed their interests in my
keeping, has led me to commit a wrong for which I can never atone. Had
it not been that others were dependent upon me, my life would have paid
the forfeit years ago.
“If that bank only had not suspended payment, Miss Douglas might still
have had a competence; but everything has seemed to be against me. But,
Miss Brownie,” he added, turning again to the sorrowful girl, “you have
not yet answered my question. Will you come to me and let me take care
of you?”
“No, dear friend; you have enough upon your mind and heart now, and I
cannot add to your burdens.”
“It will not. I pray you, give me the satisfaction of doing this much
toward averting the consequences of my wrong,” he pleaded, earnestly.
“My dear,” interposed the clergyman, impressively, “I advise you, by all
means, to accept Mr. Conrad’s hospitality and protection. You are very
young, and not at all fitted to do battle with the world. It will never
do for you to try and support yourself; you are entirely ignorant of the
ways of the world.”
“Mr. Ashley, there are hundreds, yes, thousands, as young, and even more
delicate than I, who not only support themselves, but assist in
maintaining their father and mother, brothers and sisters,” returned
Brownie. “I do not claim to be of finer clay than my unfortunate
sisters.”
“But they have been brought up to it,” interposed Mr. Conrad.
“Some of them have, and some have not. God has given me health; and,
thanks to my aunt, who took infinite pains with me, I have an excellent
education; and, gentlemen, I really feel competent to take care of
myself,” the young girl returned, proudly, yet with a more cheerful look
than she had worn since Miss Mehetabel’s death.
In vain they pleaded and urged, both the clergyman and the doctor
offering her a home with them, if she would not go with Mr. Conrad. She
remained firm, and they were filled with admiration at the strength of
character which she displayed.
“I will try for a while,” she said, seeing how bitterly disappointed Mr.
Conrad was; “and if I fail, I shall know where to come for a home.”
“You are not strong, you will break down under it,” he said, gloomily.
“I think not,” was the cheerful response. “I have always sympathized
with these poor girls, and now I shall know, by actual experience, what
their life is.”
“What will you do?” the lawyer asked, while great tears rolled down his
wrinkled cheeks.
“I do not know yet; I shall have to consider that point a while.”
Then, after a few minutes’ thought, and pitying his distress, she added:
“At all events, whatever I undertake, if I fail, I promise you I will
not refuse the home you offer me; and if I need a friend I shall always
know where to find him.”
She held out her hand to him with a sweet, winning smile, and again the
strong man broke down, weeping like a child, and there was not a dry eye
in the room excepting her own.
“What a foolish set we are!” exclaimed the doctor, after a vigorous
blowing of the nose. “This young lady shames us all. Succeed? Of course,
she’ll succeed, and I say God bless her—she is an honor to the name
which she bears.”
After a few more remarks the gentlemen took their departure, and the two
girls were once more alone.
“Brownie Douglas, you surely did not mean what you told Mr. Conrad!”
exclaimed Aspasia Huntington, the moment the door closed after them.
“I told him quite a number of things; to what in particular do you
refer?”
“Why, working for your living, to be sure.”
“Certainly, I meant it; there remains nothing else for me to do.”
“But Mr. Conrad offered to relieve you from all anxiety about your
future. Why did you not accept his offer?”
“I will never be dependent upon any one but myself,” Brownie said,
haughtily.
“But you will lose caste.”
“Perhaps; but I shall not lose my character nor my self-respect,” was
the very quiet though cold reply.
“Your friends will forsake you.”
“They are not worthy the name, then, nor a regret,” and the delicate red
lips curled with infinite scorn, yet there was the faintest perceptible
quiver upon them, and a wistful look in the dark, beautiful eyes.
Would Aspasia go with the rest?
“Do you not care if you lose them?” Aspasia asked eagerly.
“I have had many kind and dear ones, but if they have loved my
prospective fortune more than they have loved me, the sooner I find it
out the better. At all events, this calamity, if it can be so termed,
will show me the true and the false.”
“And you will not feel degraded to go out and earn your pittance,
perhaps a dollar a day, with your own hands?”
“No. My hands may grow hard and rough with the toil, but my heart will
be the same.”
“Brownie Douglas, you are a splendid girl, and I love you a thousand
times more at this moment than I ever did in my life before. I am
prouder of you as a friend, prouder of you without a penny to-day, than
I was yesterday when I thought you worth a million!” exclaimed Miss
Huntington, impulsively, as she threw her arms around her friend and
embraced her fervently.
This broke Brownie down completely, and she sobbed wildly for a few
minutes.
“Dear, Asia,” she said, at length, wiping her tears, “I thought surely,
when you were talking about caste and the degradation of toil you were
speaking your own thoughts. We have loved each other so well, that the
idea of losing your friendship was very painful to me.”
“Forgive me if I for the moment pained you. I have read of people being
above such feelings upon the loss of all their earthly goods, but I
never believed it, and I was testing you. I truly prize you more in your
misfortune than I ever did before. You have taught me a lesson to-day
which I shall not soon forget. Your example toward the poor and
unfortunate has always troubled my conscience, and henceforth I shall
shorten my trains and extend my charities.”
“I am glad to hear you say this, Asia, for you have the means at your
command to do great good,” replied Brownie, her face now radiant at this
proof of true friendship.
“Well, but I’m afraid the lesson will not be lasting if you do not
follow it up with others, and so, my darling, I am going to propose that
you go home to stay with me. No, you needn’t refuse,” she continued,
putting her hand playfully over Brownie’s lips, “on the score of being
dependent, for you know papa has plenty, and would never feel it in the
world. He would be delighted, for he has always admired you intensely.”
“Aspasia, I know it will hurt you deeply to have me refuse this
kindness, but indeed it cannot be, dear. My mind has been made up from
the first to earn my bread ‘by the sweat of my brow,’ and nothing can
change it,” Brownie answered, decidedly.
“But if he desires you to come as a companion and a help to me?” urged
Aspasia, earnestly.
Brownie laughed aloud at the idea, in spite of her sadness.
“A companion, Aspasia, when your home is already full!”
“Well, but you know Jennie is soon to be married, and Lina needs some
one to look after her French and music. You would be just the one, and
we would have such delightful times together.”
“It would be all a mere form. I know I should not be received or treated
as a governess or companion in your father’s house, and I should live a
life of idleness and pleasure as much as heretofore. No; I have said I
will work, and work I will! And if my friends prove themselves as true
as you have, I shall only be so much happier,” was the firm reply.