She was more struck with another aspect of the matter, with the simple fact that so soon as he had come to a resolution to act, death had intervened, and the resolve could not be carried out.
With all Hermione's faults, she had been trained up into a very simple and child-like belief in God's overruling and absolute power. And this seemed to her very strikingly, very forcibly, like His interposition. Mr. Dalrymple had willed to leave her ten thousand pounds, and the Divine controlling touch had come, withholding from her what she might have had.
Was she now to grasp at the thing withheld, to condescend to the use of such means as Miss Dalton advised for the possible attainment of that which had been withheld?
[CHAPTER XXXI.]
SEEN LAST.
"No!" Hermione said aloud, as this question came strongly into her mind. "No, I could not do that! And to stoop to what Miss Dalton proposes! To make it a matter of county gossip, under her leadership! No, indeed! I would rather be penniless all my life."
Pride and principle had both a share in this decision. She struck a wax match, lighted one of the small green candles affixed to her davenport, and wrote a brief note without hesitation.
"WESTFORD HALL."
"DEAR MISS DALTON,—Thanks for your kind letter just
received. I am interested, of course, in what you tell