If she can do
that--for conscience' sake, and for pity's sake--to her own
prejudice, to her own shame, to her own loss--then her repentance
has nobly revealed the noble nature that is in her; then she is a
woman to be trusted, respected, beloved! If I saw the Pharisees
and fanatics of this lower earth passing her by in contempt, I
would hold out my hand to her before them all. I would say to her
in her solitude and her affliction, 'Rise, poor wounded heart!
Beautiful, purified soul, God's angels rejoice over you! Take
your place among the noblest of God's creatures!'"
In those last sentences he unconsciously repeated the language in
which he had spoken, years since, to his congregation in the
chapel of the Refuge. With tenfold power and tenfold persuasion
they now found their way again to Mercy's heart. Softly,
suddenly, mysteriously, a change passed over her. Her troubled
face grew beautifully still. The shifting light of terror and
suspense vanished from her grand gray eyes, and left in them the
steady inner glow of a high and pure resolve.
There was a moment of silence between them. They both had need of
silence. Julian was the first to speak again.
Pages:
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247