“A solitary day! I wish you joy of it! Mine has been ‘peopled with the furies.’ Oh, Hugh, even in my wild infancy I was such an ambitious child! Though, Heaven knows, there was nothing around me to foster ambition, unless it were the want of everything, and the study of fairy tales! Oh, Hugh! if the little wild water-witch of the isle was ambitious——” “‘The woman, gifted with beauty, talent, wealth, and largest liberty, is a hundred times more so,’ you would say,” said Hugh. “But, Garnet, do you know there is an ambition more noble than all others—that of moral greatness! Garnet, you have the opportunity granted to few—the opportunity of moral heroism!” “Oh, Hugh, before I saw you I had great schemes! great schemes!” “I know it, dear Garnet; but they did not demand the great moral force required of you to-day.” “But since you came, Hugh——” Here her voice broke down and she dropped her head upon the table for a few minutes. Then, lifting it up again, she held her veil of ringlets back, and said: “But since you came, Hugh, all schemes have given place to one. I had been living in such a golden dream, dear Hugh! Oh, listen! You know when we were two poor children, obliged to pick our frugal meal of maninosies from the beach, and I, inspired by the ‘Arabian Nights’ Entertainments,’ would be talking my wild, childish talk about sudden riches and fairy grandmothers, you said you had a fairy in your head who could convert the sand and clay into gold-dust and precious gems.” “Yes, I remember. It was when I dreamed of being an agriculturist.” “And you promised you would make a fortune for me; confer rank, and wealth, and honor upon me?” she asked, smiling very sadly. “Yes—yes, Nettie!” he answered solemnly. “Yes, and I hold myself bound to redeem that boyish pledge. Doubly bound now, Nettie, for I must repay you for all you lose.” “Oh, stop! Hear me out. Well—heigho! I thought if Hugh could give Garnet a fortune he might also take one from her—take one with her. Oh, Hugh! I knew I could not confer upon you rank or honor; you must make them for both of us; but I dreamed that I could give you wealth to aid in doing it. Hugh, listen! I heard you say that you would like to travel, and spend some time in London, Paris, and at some of the German cities, for the sake of perfecting your medical knowledge. I then heard you regret that necessity which urged your immediate settlement in some Western neighborhood, to commence practice. Well, Hugh, I dreamed that necessity would be obviated. I dreamed, Hugh, that we would make a bridal tour to Europe, and sojourn in all these capitals, while you pursued your studies at your ease. Now my dream is over—over!” “God bless you for saying that, Garnet! God bless you for saying that! The dream is over!—the dream is over!—the battle is over, and your moral sense has nobly conquered; you will yield up this property?”