As she stood there, her fingers clenched together, the spirit was in her to strike the girl—to curse her; but, when she saw the pale, weary-looking face, and the great, staring eyes of the young mother, as she clasped her little one to her breast, all Rhoda’s anger seemed to pass away as rapidly as it had come, and in its place there was a feeling of profound pity.
They stood there gazing in each other’s eyes for some minutes without speaking, Rhoda proud and erect, Madge weak and piteous in the extreme; and, as if in dread of her visitor, she held her little one between them as a shield.
“Are you not ashamed to look me in the face?” said Rhoda, sternly.
“Am I not weak and suffering enough,” retorted Madge, “that you say these cruel words? Oh, Miss Penwynn, let me try and explain—let me tell you how I have suffered for the pain I have caused you.”
“Hold your tongue,” said Rhoda, coldly. “Don’t speak to me. I did not come to see you. Do not speak to me again.”
As Rhoda spoke she saw the poor girl’s eyelids droop, and a ghastly pallor came over her face. She was fainting, and had not the visitor involuntarily caught the little one from its mother’s hands, as she fell back in the corner of the sofa, it would have dropped upon the brick floor.
The child uttered a piteous cry, and seemed to stare with astonishment at her who held it from her, stunned almost at her position. But as the babe looked up in her handsome face, the wrinkles in its little countenance departed, and it began to laugh and coo, trying to catch at one of the long curls pendent above its face.
The little one seemed to disarm her resentment. She held it closer to her, forgetful of its mother, and one of its little pinky hands went up now and clutched at her face.
She could not help it. There was no one to see, and Rhoda seemed forced to obey an uncontrollable impulse. One moment her face was hard and stern; then there was a quiver, a softening of the muscles, the tears gathered in her eyes, and began to fall upon the little upturned face.
“It at least is innocent,” she muttered, as she held the little thing in her bosom, and kissed it tenderly again and again.