“Maid,” said Parson Stump.
“Ah!”
Parson Stump whispered in Parson Lute’s ear. Parson Lute raised his eyebrows. He was made sad––and sighed. He was kind, was this parson, and sweetly wishful for the goodness and welfare of all the erring sons and daughters of men.
“Has the woman repented?” he asked.
“I fear not. In fact––no; she has not.”
At once the battle-light began to shine in Parson Lute’s green eyes. “I see,” he snapped.
“Rather difficult case, I fear,” said Parson Stump, despondently. “She––well, she––she isn’t quite right. Poor creature! Do you understand? A simple person. 151 Not idiotic, you know. Not born that way, of course. Oh no! born with all her senses quite intact. She was beautiful as a maid––sweet-natured, lovely in person, very modest and pious––very merry, too, and clever. But before the child came she––she––she began to wait. Do you understand? To wait––to wait for the return of––of some one. She said––I remember that she said––that he would come. She was really quite sure of it. And she waited––and waited. A promise, no doubt; and she had faith in it. For a long time she had faith in it. Rather pitiful, I think. I used to see her about a good deal. She was always waiting. I would meet her on the heads, in all weathers, keeping watch for schooners. The clerk of a trading-schooner, no doubt; but nobody knows. Waiting––waiting––always waiting! Poor creature! The man didn’t come back, of course; and then she got––well––flighty. Got flighty––quite flighty. The man didn’t come back, of course, you know; and she had waited––and waited––so long, so very long. Really, a very difficult case, brother! Something snapped and broken––something missing––something gone, you know. Poor creature! She––she––well, she waited too long. Couldn’t stand it, you see. It seems she loved the man––and trusted him––and, well, just loved him, you know, in the way women will. And now she’s flighty––quite flighty. A difficult case, I fear, and––”
“I see,” Parson Lute interrupted. “An interesting case. Very sad, too. And you’ve not been able to convict her of her sin?”
Parson Stump shook his head.