."

"Madam, you insult me!" I cried, springing to my feet.

"By which, I suppose," she answered, "you wish me to understand that
your heart is true to Poll,--by Poll meaning Sylvia Raynor."

"You know that as well as I do," I replied. "I have taken you into my
confidence; I have told you that I loved her, that I should always love
her; and it is unwomanly in you"--

"That will do," she interrupted,--"that will do; don't say hard words to
one of your best friends. If you will continue to be true to Poll, not
as the sailor was in the song, but constant and steadfast in all sorts
of weather, and without any regard to that mere material point of
eventually getting her for your own, why then I am your fast friend to
the end, and will do everything that I can to soften your woes and
lighten your pathway; and all the reward I desire for my labors is the
pleasure of knowing that there is at least one man in the world who can
love truly and unchangeably without seeing any chance ahead of him of
winning the woman he loves. Do you think you can fill that position?"

I looked at her sternly, and answered: "I have said all upon that point
that is necessary to say. When I love a woman, I love her forever."

"Very good," said Miss Laniston,--"very good; and I dare say your little
side flights didn't mean anything at all. And now I shall talk with
Mother Anastasia as soon as possible, and make her understand that she
has no right to sacrifice herself to Sylvia or any one else. If I can
get her started off on the right road, I will see what I can do with the
new Mother Superior, whoever she may be. Perhaps you may yet be able to
establish that delightful brotherhood of the House of Martha. Any way, I
promise you you shall have something. It may not be much and it may not
be often, but it shall be enough to keep your love alive, and that, you
see, is my great object. I want to make of you a monument of masculine
constancy."

As I took leave of her, Miss Laniston gave my hand a vigorous pressure,
which seemed to me to indicate that her intentions were better than her
words. As I went away my mind was quieter, though not cheered. There was
in it a certain void and emptiness, but this was compensated for by a
sense of self-approbation which was strengthening and comforting. I was
even able to smile at the notion of the interview between Miss Laniston
and Sister Sarah, when the former should propose my plan of the
brotherhood.