‘I thought of following him to Willowmere and explaining; but the effort already made had tried me so much, that not feeling sure of what awkwardness of speech or what irrepressible sign of emotion might betray my secret, I determined to let matters take their course, whilst my task should be to keep Philip at home and to hasten the marriage. You know how earnestly I strove to carry out that resolution.
‘You and Philip will be happy. You two have found in time the golden key of life, and in your happiness I shall find mine at last. I want to live till then; and, after, I shall pass away content.’
The invalid seemed to arouse from a sad and yet pleasing dream, for there was a faint smile on his worn face, and the eyes seemed to brighten as with the consciousness of victory—that greatest of all victories, the conquest of self.
He rang the hand-bell, and Madge herself promptly answered the summons.
‘It is you I wanted, my child.... How good and patient you have been with me—Madge. Take notice, I am to call you henceforth, Madge, my child.’
‘And I shall call you father,’ she said tenderly, taking one of his hands and stroking it affectionately.
He was silent for a few moments; then lifting his head, he drew her towards him and kissed her with strange solemnity on the brow.
‘Yes, my child,’ he said calmly, ‘that is the name which commands a portion of your love—and you will give me a little of it?’
‘A great deal of it—you may be sure of that,’ she answered, blushing slightly, and thinking how could she do otherwise than give a great deal of love to Philip’s father.