“It will be pain spared—unless it should be worse by and by.”
“I do not suppose we ought to look to by and by,” said Richard.
“How so?”
“Do the clearly right thing for the present, I mean,” he said, “without anxiety for the rest. How do we—any of us—know what may be the case in another year?”
“Do not flatter me with hopes,” said Margaret, sadly smiling; “I have had too many of them.”
“No,” said Richard; “I do not think you will ever get well. But so much may happen—”
“I had rather have my mind made up once for all, and resign myself,” said Margaret.
“His will is sometimes that we should be uncertain,” said Richard.
“And that is the most trying,” said Margaret.
“Just so—” and he paused tenderly.