THE LEMON-PLANT. 271 



could forget the circumstance, nor think of it 

 without emotion. 



We once, when setting out on a long walk 

 besides the river, started a subject on which our 

 opinions considerably differed: it was something 

 connected with the grand doctrine of redemption. 

 My notions were very crude, but I was abundant 

 ly dogmatical in proclaiming them. Marie had 

 the better of the argument throughout ; and not a 

 word was spoken on either side, approaching to 

 intemperance of feeling. 



We had not quite concluded when we reached 

 my door, and stood awhile to finish the discussion, 

 as the dinner-hour forbade a longer interview. It 

 ended by my conceding to her the palm of ortho- 

 doxy, which I did, I believe, with a good grace , 

 and we parted most affectionately, agreeing to 

 meet on the morrow, at noon. The following 

 morning, before I was well awake, a billet was 

 brought to my bedside, the contents of which 

 amazed me. It was from Marie, written at three 

 o'clock in the morning, under the most extreme 

 depression of spirits, occasioned by an apprehen- 

 sion which had seized her that she might, in the 

 earnestness of our discussion, have said, or looked, 

 something calculated to pain me : and the idea 

 was, she said, intolerable, that she perhaps had 

 added a mental pang to the many I was called on 

 to endure, by some seemingly unkind remark, or 



