Then, indeed, he started from his lethargy, and, struggling to his feet, clasped her in his arms, weeping over her passionately, and murmuring as he did so:
“My wife—my darling—my wife! Is it true that you have come to me again? Are you my Marian?”
Daylight was fading from the room, for the Winter sun had set behind the western hills, and leading her to the window, he turned her face to the light, gazing rapturously upon it, and saying to her:
“You are mine—all mine! God bless you, Marian!”
He kissed her hands, her neck, her lips, her forehead, her hair, and she could feel his hot tears falling amid the shining curls he parted so lovingly from her brow. They were not hateful to him now—and he passed his hand caressingly over them, whispering all the while:
“My own beautiful Marian—my bride—my wife!”
Surely, in this moment of bliss, Marian felt repaid for all that she had suffered, when at last as thoughts of the dreadful past came over Frederic, he led her to the sofa, and said, “Can you forgive me, darling?” she turned her bright eyes up to his, and by the expression of perfect happiness resting there, he knew she had forgotten the cold, heartless words he spoke to her, when once, at that very hour, and in that very place, he asked her to be his. That scene had faded away, leaving no cloud between them. All was sunshine and gladness, and with her fair head resting on his bosom—not timidly, as it had lain there in the morning, but trustingly, confidingly, as if that were its rightful resting place—they sat together until the rose-red tinge faded from the western sky, and the night shadows had crept into the room.
More than once Alice stole on tiptoe to the door, to see if it were time for her to enter, but as often as she heard the low murmur of their voices, she went noiselessly back, saying to herself: “I won’t disturb them yet.”
At last as she came once she stumbled accidentally, and this woke Marian from the sweetest dream which ever had come to her.
“’Tis Alice,” she said; and she called to the little girl who came gladly, and climbing into Frederic’s lap, twined her arms around his neck and laid a cheek against his own, without word of comment.