“I am deeply grieved to hear you say so, for it proves how much you must have suffered—how much more than even I had imagined. But try to take a little comfort. I and my own dear husband will be your friends, will be a sister and a brother to you,” said Sybil earnestly, with all the impulsive, unlimited generosity of her youth and her race, awakened by her sympathy with the sorrows of this young stranger.
“Oh, madam, you—” began Rosa, but her voice broke down in sobs.
“Take comfort,” continued Sybil, laying her little brown hand on that fair golden head, “take comfort. Think, you have not lost all. You have your child left.”
“Ah, my child!” cried Rosa, in a tone like a shriek of anguish, “my child, my wronged and ruined babe! The sight of him is a sword through my bosom! my child that he robbed and made me an accomplice in robbing—it is maddening to think of it.”
“Then do not think of it,” said Sybil, gently, and still caressing the bowed head; “think of anything else—think of what I am going to say to you. Listen. While you remain in this crowded and noisy hotel, you can never recover calmness enough to act with any good effect. So I wish you to come home with me and my dear husband to our quiet country house, and be our cherished guest until you can communicate with your friends, or come to some satisfactory decision concerning your future course.”
While Sybil spoke these words, the young stranger raised her head and looked up with gradually dilating eyes.
“Come, now; what say you? Will you be our dear and welcome guest this autumn?” smiled Sybil.
“Oh, do you mean this? can you mean it?” exclaimed Rosa, in something like an ecstasy of surprise and gratitude.
“In our secluded country house, with sympathizing friends around you,” continued Sybil, still caressing Rosa’s little golden-haired head, and speaking all the more calmly because of Rosa’s excitement, “you will have repose and leisure to collect your thoughts and to write to your friends in the old country, and to wait without hurry or anxiety to hear from them.”
“Oh, angels in Heaven, do you hear what this angel on earth is saying to me! Oh, was ever such divine goodness seen under the sun before! Oh, dear lady, you amaze, you confound me with your heavenly goodness!” exclaimed the young stranger, in strong emotion.