CLAIRE AND NINA BERNARD, PERFORMED
AT MY HOUSE, IN MY PRESENCE, AND BY ME, IS NULL AND VOID. RICHARD
HARRINGTON, COLLINGWOOD, NOVEMBER 5TH, 18--"
Slowly a faint color deepened on Edith's cheek, a soft lustre was
kindled in her eye, and the great tears dropped from her long
lashes. Her intellect was too much clouded for her to reason
clearly upon anything, and she did not, for a moment, doubt the
validity of what she heard. Richard could annul the marriage if he
would, she was sure, and now that he had done so, the bitterness
of death was past,--the dark river forded, and she was saved. Nina
had steered the foundering bark into a calm, quiet sea, and
exulting in her good work, she held Edith's head upon her bosom,
and whispered to her of the joyous future when she would live with
Arthur.
As a child listens to an exciting tale only comprehends in part,
so Edith listened to Nina, a smile playing about her mouth and
dancing in her eyes, which at last, as the low voice ceased,
closed languidly as did the soft blue orbs above them, and when
the grey dawn stole into the room it found them sleeping in each
other's arms,--the noble-hearted Nina who had virtually given up
her husband and the broken-hearted Edith who had accepted him.
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