Oh! If a woman ever could understand what passion means to a mon!
If ye knew what I have suffered through all these years, you'd end
it, Mary Malone."
Mary gave the chair a shove. "Come here, Dannie," she said. Dannie
cleared the space between them. Mary set her hands against his
breast. "One minute," she panted. "Just one! I have loved you all
me life, me man. I niver loved any one but you. I niver wanted any
one but you. I niver hoped for any Hivin better than I knew I'd
find in your arms. There was a mistake. There was an awful mistake,
when I married Jimmy. I'm not tillin' you now, and I niver will,
but you must realize that! Do you understand me?"
"Hardly," breathed Dannie. "Hardly!"
"Will, you can take your time if you want to think it out, because
that's all I'll iver till you. There was a horrible mistake. It was
~you I loved, and wanted to marry. Now bend down to me, Dannie
Micnoun, because I'm going to take your head on me breast and kiss
your dear face until I'm tired," said Mary Malone.
An hour later Father Michael came leisurely down the lane, and the
peace of God was with him.
A radiant Mary went out to meet him.
"You didn't till him!" she cried accusingly. "You didn't till him!"
The priest laid a hand on her head.
"Mary, the greatest thing in the whole world is self-sacrifice," he
said. "The pot at the foot of the rainbow is just now running over
with the pure gold of perfect contentment. But had you and I done
such a dreadful thing as to destroy the confidence of a good man in
his friend, your heart never could know such joy as it now knows in
this sacrifice of yours; and no such blessed, shining light could
illumine your face.
Pages:
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216