There was not a word of anger spoken then against him who had done all this.  Mrs Dale felt that she did not dare to speak in anger against him, and words of anger were not likely to come from poor Lily.  She, indeed, hitherto did not know the whole of his offence, for she had not read his letter.

“Give it me, mamma,” she said at last.  “It has to be done sooner or later.”

“Not now, Lily.  I have told you all—­all that you need know at present.”

“Yes; now, mamma,” and again that sweet silvery voice became stern.  “I will read it now, and there shall be an end.”  Whereupon Mrs Dale gave her the letter and she read it in silence.  Her mother, though standing somewhat behind her, watched her narrowly as she did so.  She was now lying over upon the bed, and the letter was on the pillow, as she propped herself upon her arm.  Her tears were running, and ever and again she would stop to dry her eyes.  Her sobs, too, were very audible, but she went on steadily with her reading till she came to the line on which Crosbie told that he had already engaged himself to another woman.  Then her mother could see that she paused suddenly, and that a shudder slightly convulsed all her limbs.

“He has been very quick,” she said, almost in a whisper; and then she finished the letter.  “Tell him, mamma,” she said, “that I do forgive him, and I will not hate him.  You will tell him that,—­from me; will you not?” And then she raised herself from the bed.

Mrs Dale would give her no such assurance.  In her present mood her feelings against Crosbie were of a nature which she herself hardly could understand or analyse.  She felt that if he were present she could almost fly at him as would a tigress.  She had never hated before as she now hated this man.  He was to her a murderer, and worse than a murderer.  He had made his way like a wolf into her little fold, and torn her ewe-lamb and left her maimed and mutilated for life.  How could a mother forgive such an offence as that, or consent to be the medium through which forgiveness should be expressed?

“You must, mamma; or, if you do not, I shall do so.  Remember that I love him.  You know what it is to have loved one single man.  He has made me very unhappy; I hardly know yet how unhappy.  But I have loved him, and do love him.  I believe, in my heart, that he still loves me.  Where this has been there must not be hatred and unforgiveness.”

“I will pray that I may become able to forgive him,” said Mrs Dale.

“But you must write to him those words.  Indeed you must, mamma!  ’She bids me tell you that she has forgiven you, and will not hate you.’  Promise me that!”

“I can make no promise now, Lily.  I will think about it, and endeavour to do my duty.”

Lily was now seated, and was holding the skirt of her mother’s dress.

“Mamma,” she said, looking up into her mother’s face, “you must be very good to me now; and I must be very good to you.  We shall be always together now.  I must be your friend and counsellor; and be everything to you, more than ever.  I must fall in love with you now;” and she smiled again, and the tears were almost dry upon her cheeks.