“You really hurt my feelings by applying such epithets to yourself.” Perhaps that was what the doctor intended to do. “I am what I am. I would sacrifice everything to win back the integrity I have lost. I cannot hide myself from my own eyes. I was willing to hide myself from yours. I intended not again to burden your family with the sight of me.” “We should have been glad to see you every day since your return. Eugene invited you, and tried to persuade you to come to Pine Hill. Does not this fact convince you that you would have been welcome here?” “I have never doubted that I should be welcome. To stay away seemed to me to be a sacred duty, though it was contrary to my own inclinations. Does this convince you of the sincerity of my repentance?” “We knew you were sincere, and we asked no such proof.” “I believed it was my duty to stay away. I faithfully followed my conviction. I should have persevered, but your brother insisted that I should attend your mother in her sickness.” “Mother could not think of having any other physician.” “It was not my fault that I came.” “Your fault! It was kind of you to come. Mother might have died if you had refused to come.” “But I dreaded to come; not on your mother’s account, of course, for I respect and esteem her more than any other woman in the world. I feared to come.” “Why should you?” “I suggested to your brother that he had better call in another physician.” “So he told me.” “If I could honorably have avoided coming, I should have done so.” “I am sorry you had so strong a dislike to coming to our house.” “Dislike! Far from it!” “What was it, then?” “Simple duty. I could not avoid seeing you.” “Did you object to seeing me?” “It was rapture even to look upon you! Julia, I came. Right or wrong, I cannot help loving you. I would have spared you this, for I know you hate me, if your gentle nature is capable of hating.” “I do not hate you; I do not dislike you, doctor. Your words pain me.” “I have thought that it was the guidings of Providence that brought me here after I had so solemnly exiled myself from these halls. The happiest hours of my life have been spent here; but, like our first parents, I have been driven from Eden by my own transgression.” “Be more reasonable, doctor. Promise me that you will come here as you used to come. I will insure you a glad welcome at all times.” “Heaven knows how joyfully I would give such a promise! Julia--will you pardon me for speaking to you thus familiarly?” “Certainly; it is all in the family,” laughed she. “Julia, how many times have I said I loved you! You do not speak of this.” “I cannot,” she replied, with some confusion. “Do you hate me?” “No.” “You despise me.” “No.” “You believe that I am unworthy of you.” “No; we have all done wrong, and we need to be forgiven.” “Have you forgiven me?” “I have.” “Do you regard me now as you did before my great transgression was exposed?” “I do not.”