k of unfathomable
reproach from her soft eyes, she turned her back on him; but,
remembering her manners, courtesied at the door; and so retired; and
unpretending Virtue lent her such true dignity that he was struck dumb,
and made no attempt to detain her.

I think her dignified composure did not last long when she was alone; at
least, the next time he saw her, her eyes were red; his heart smote him,
and he began to make excuses and beg her forgiveness. But she
interrupted him. "Don't speak to me no more, if you please, sir," said
she, civilly, but coldly.

Mercy, though so quiet and inoffensive, had depth and strength of
character. She never told her mother what Thomas Leicester had proposed
to her. Her honest pride kept her silent, for one thing. She would not
have it known she had been insulted. And, besides that, she loved Thomas
Leicester still, and could not expose or hurt him. Once there was an
Israelite without guile, though you and I never saw him; and once there
was a Saxon without bile, and her name was Mercy Vint. In this heart of
gold the affections were stronger than the passions. She was deeply
wounded, and showed it in a patient way to him who had wounded her, but
to none other. Her conduct to him in public and private was truly
singular, and would alone have stamped her a remarkable character. She
declined all communication with him in private, and avoided him steadily
and adroitly; but in public she spoke to him, sang with him when she was
asked, and treated him much the same as before. He could see a subtle
difference, but nobody else could.

This generosity, coupled with all she had done for him before,
penetrated his heart and filled him with admiration and remorse. He
yielded to Mrs. Vint's suggestions, and told her she was right; he would
tear himself away, and never see the dear "Packhorse" again. "But oh!
Dame," said he, "'t is a sorrowful thing to be alone in the world again,
and naught to do. If I had but a farm, and a sweet little inn like this
to go to, perchance my heart would not be quite so heavy as 't is this
day at thoughts of parting from thee and thine."

"Well, sir," said Mrs. Vint, "if that is all, there is the 'Vine' to let
at this moment. 'T is a better place of business than this; and some
meadows go with it, and land to be had in the parish."

"I'll ride and see it," said Griffith, eagerly: then, dejectedly, "but,
alas! I have no heart to keep an inn without somebody to help