There was more of human kindness in his voice than it had
expressed for many years.
"God bless you, sir," the child dropped her grateful eyes from his
face, as she took the coin, bending with an involuntary reverent
motion. Then, as she slowly passed to the warehouse door, she turned
two or three times, to look on the man who, alone, of the many to
whom she had made solicitation that day, had answered her in
kindness.
"So much for the encouragement of vagrancy," said Suspicion.
"Played on by the art of a cunning child," said Pride.
Markland began to feel ashamed of his momentary weakness. But, he
was not now, wholly, at the mercy of the guests who had so long
tormented him. Compassion, Good-will and Kindness were now his
guests also; and they had other and pleasanter suggestions for his
mind. The child's "God bless you, sir," they repeated over and over
again, softening the young voice, and giving it increasing power to
awaken tender and loving states which had formed themselves in
earlier and purer years. Tranquility, so long absent from his soul,
came in, now, through the entrance made by Compassion.
Markland went back into his counting-room, almost wondering at the
peace he felt. Taking up a newspaper, he read of a rare specimen of
statuary just received from Italy, the property of a well-known
merchant. Envy did not move quickly enough. The old love of beauty
and nature, which envy, detraction, greed of gain, and their
blear-eyed companions, had kept in thrall, was already in a freer
state; and found in good-will, kindness and tranquility, congenial
friends.
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