She
should be educated for himself; she should be brought up to
see with his eyes, to adopt his views; she should be taught no
troublesome standard of right and wrong by which to measure
him and find wanting; no cold shadow of doubt and reproach
should ever rise between them and force them asunder; and
above all, he would make her happy--she for one should never
turn on him and say, "See, my life is ruined, and it is you
who have done it!" She should know no life, no aims, no wishes
but his; but that life should be so free from care and sorrow
that for once he would be able to congratulate himself on
having made the happiness, instead of the misery, of some one
whom he loved and who loved him.
These were the ideas that M. Linders entertained concerning
Madelon, expressing them to himself in thoughts and language
half genuine, half sentimental, as was his nature. But his
love for his child was genuine enough; and for the fulfilment
of his purpose he was willing to sacrifice much, devoting
himself to her, and giving up time, comfort, and even money,
for the sake of this one small being whom in all the world he
loved, and who was to be taught to love him.
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