“It was late upon a wretched night,” said Lizzie, “when his eyes first looked at me in my old riverside home, very different from this. His eyes may never look at me again. I would rather that they never did; I hope that they never may. But I would not have the light of them taken out of my life, for anything my life can give me. I have told you everything now, my dear. If it comes a little strange to me to have parted with it, I am not sorry. I had no thought of ever parting with a single word of it, a moment before you came in; but you came in, and my mind changed.”

Bella kissed her on the cheek, and thanked her warmly for her confidence. “I only wish,” said Bella, “I was more deserving of it.”

“More deserving of it?” repeated Lizzie, with an incredulous smile.