"There was no difficulty with him, I presume?" said Fabens, not indifferently.
"O, no, nothing of any consequence whatever; nothing that we would breathe abroad, or wish to remember," said Frisbie, with a meekened look.
"May I ask if anything dishonorable on his part?" inquired Fabens. "We have supposed him one of our best young men—one of the very best in town; and we have known him from a child."
"I am sorry I mentioned his name: I see it disturbs you," said Frisbie. "I would not weaken one's confidence in another for anything in the world—unless I had the weightiest reason. And this was nothing of importance, for one of his friends to know."
"But may we not know it, and be relieved of our anxiety?" asked
Fabens, with rising emotion.
"Why,—yes, I would as lief you would know it as not," said Frisbie. "You will say it was a trifling affair, and little worth minding after all. Hundreds of young men do the same, and never repeat it, and are just as well thought of, too, by a good many people. Temptations lie in wait to ensnare us all; and the greatest wonder is, not that now and then one becomes criminal, but that so many people, good as you and I, Squire Fabens, do not oftener step aside from virtue's way."
"But we thought George Ludlow the last to be tempted. He is certainly a most respectable young man. His very looks bespeak an innocent heart. I seldom meet him without desiring to exclaim as Jesus did at the approach of young Nathanael—'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!' And then he is so industrious and regular," said Fabens warmly.
"I am very glad you think and feel as you do. It is truly refreshing to witness such confidence in men. And I told Fairbanks that George looked as though he worked hard, and wanted to be respected."
"But tell me, what of his error, Mr. Frisbie? I insist upon knowing."
"You shall know, Squire Fabens. I would as lief you would know as not; you will not breathe it where it can hurt Ludlow. You know we are bound to lift up the fallen—not to crush them."