While praying to be delivered from
temptation he was constantly keeping his eyes fixed upon the
forbidden fruit, longing for it more and move, and feeling how
worthless life would be to him without it. Still, by a mighty
effort, he restrained himself from doing or saying aught which
could be constrained into expressions of love, and their
interviews were much like those which had preceded his last visit
to Worcester. People were beginning to talk about him and his
beautiful pupil, but leading the isolated life he did, it came not
to his ears. Grace indeed, might have enlightened both himself and
Edith with regard to the village gossip, but looking upon the
latter as her rival, and desiring greatly that she should marry
Arthur, she forebore from communicating to either of them anything
which would be likely to retard an affair she fancied was
progressing famously. Thus without a counsellor or friend was
Edith left to follow the bent of her inclinations; and on this
April morning, as she rode along, mentally chiding Arthur for not
entrusting his secret to her, she wondered how she had ever
managed to be happy without him, and if the time would ever come
when her visits to Grassy Spring would cease.
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