"'Oh, you know,' she said, 'you have been kind to me,--so much kinder than I have deserved!'
"It was unendurable,--the pathos of the words! I was blinded, stifled,--I almost groaned aloud. If we had been alone, there our trial would have ended. I should have snatched her to my soul. But the eyes of others were upon us, and I steeled myself.
"'Besides,' I said, 'I know of nothing that you can do for me.'
"'There must be many little things;--to begin with, there is your glove, which you are tearing to pieces.'
"True, I was tearing my glove,--she was calm enough to observe it! That made me angry.
"'Give it to me; I will mend it for you. Haven't you other gloves that need mending?'
"I, who had triumphed, was humbled.
"My heart was breaking,--and she talked of mending gloves! I did not omit to thank her. I coldly arose to go.
"Well, I felt now that it was all over. The next day I secured my passage in the steamer in which my friends were to sail. I took pains that Margaret should hear of that, too. Then came the preparations for travel,--arranging affairs, writing letters, providing myself with a compact and comfortable outfit. Europe was in prospect,--Paris, Switzerland, Italy, lands to which my dreams had long since gone before me, and to which I now turned my eyes with reawakening aspirations. A new glory arose upon my life, in the light of which Margaret became a fading star. It was so much easier than I had thought, to give her up, to part from her! I found that I could forget her, in the excitement of a fresh and novel experience; while she--could she forget me? When lovers part, happy is he who goes! alas for the one that is left behind!
"One day, when I was busy with the books which I was to take with me, a small package was handed in. I need not tell you that I experienced a thrill, when I saw Margaret's handwriting upon the wrapper. I tore it open,--and what think you I found? My glove! Nothing else. I smiled bitterly, to see how neatly she had mended it; then I sighed; then I said, 'It is finished!' and tossed the glove disdainfully into my trunk.