104 FAITH AND LOVE. 



Alas ! alas ! what human enormity might not in this way find 

 an apology. 



" But the mind of Agnes was clear as a sunbeam where 

 truth was involved. She had taken the oath voluntarily upon 

 herself — coolly, dispassionately — from what she had conceived 

 at the time duty. She had taken it in the maturity of her 

 judgment ; and understanding, in part, from her fearful craving 

 for sympathy, the sacrifice it might involve. Yet had she taken 

 it in her sound mind and clear judgment, and she dared not 

 reverse its doom. 



" Enough ! enough ! We parted to meet no more on this 

 earth. The sacrifice to be a sacrifice must be entire, complete. 

 The love, the devotedness of this noblest of beings, became 

 super-human in its elevated purity. She lifted me above myself, 

 and gave my soul an assertion of its high claims, such as I had 

 never before conceived to be possible. Certain hours of the 

 day we devoted to inter-communion. One day likewise in the 

 year, was passed by each in solitude — the anniversary of our 

 meeting. And so perfect has been our sympathy, that we are 

 often apprised through our own consciousness each of the state 

 of the other's mind. 



" Our letters were written and marked, when designed to be 

 opened on this anniversary of our meetings. The letters of 

 yesterday were of this character, and accompanied by one 

 from her only female friend who shared her confidence 



