"Oh, hear me!" cried Hester, in great agitation. "I vowed to devote myself to my father's happiness, when my mother died; I promised to place the most absolute confidence in him. I failed. I fancied miserable things. I fancied he loved Margaret better; and that I was not necessary to him; and I was too proud, too selfish, to tell him so: and when he was dying, and commended Margaret and me to each other--Oh, so solemnly!--I am sure it was in compassion to me--and I shrank from it, even at that moment. When we came here, and Margaret and I felt ourselves alone among strangers, we promised the same confidence I vowed to my father. The next thing was--perhaps you saw it--I grew jealous of Margaret's having another friend, though Maria was as ready to be my friend as hers, if I had only been worthy of it. Up to this hour--at this very moment, I believe I am jealous of Maria--and with Margaret before my eyes--Margaret, who loves me as her own soul, and yet has never felt one moment's jealousy of you, I am certain, if her heart was known." "We will rejoice, then, in Margaret's peace of mind, the reward of her faith." "Oh, so I do! I bless God that she is rewarded, better than by me. But you see how it is. You see how I poison every one's life. I never made anybody happy! I never shall make anyone happy!" "Let us put the thought of making happiness out of our minds altogether," said Hope. "I am persuaded that half the misery in the world comes of straining after happiness." "After our own," said Hester. "I could give up my own. But yours! I cannot put yours out of my thoughts." "Yes, you can; and you will when you give your faith fair play. Why cannot you trust God with my happiness as well as your own? And why cannot you trust me to do without happiness, if it be necessary, as well as yourself?" "I know," said Hester, "that you are as willing to forego all for me as I am for you; but I cannot, I dare not, consent to the risk. Oh, Edward! if ever you wished to give me ease, do what I ask now! Give me up! I shall make you wretched. Give me up, Edward!" Hope's spirit was for one instant wrapped in storm. He recoiled from the future, and at the moment of recoil came this offer of release. One moment's thought of freedom, one moment's thought of Margaret convulsed his soul; but before he could speak the tempest had passed away. Hester's face, frightfully agitated, was upraised: his countenance seemed heavenly to her when he smiled upon her, and replied-- "I will not. You are mine; and, as I said before, all our failures, all our heart-sickness, must bind us the more to each other." "Then you must sustain me--you must cure me--you must do what no one has ever yet been able to do. But above all, Edward, you must never, happen what may, cast me off."