she did something,
or at least said something, to separate herself entirely from her
aunt, this terrible domestic tyrant would overcome her by the fear
of denunciation, which would terrify her soul even though she had
dared to declare to herself that in her stress of misery she would
throw overboard all consideration of her soul's welfare. Though she
intended no longer to live in accordance with her religious belief,
she feared what religion could say to her,--dreaded to the very
marrow of her bones the threats of God's anger and of Satan's power
with which her aunt would harass her. If only she could rid herself
of it all! Therefore, though she perceived that the story which she
had told of herself had filled her aunt's mind with a horrible and a
false suspicion, she said nothing to correct the error. Therefore she
said nothing further, though her aunt sat looking at her with open
mouth, and eyes full of terror, and hands clasped, and pale cheeks.

"In this house,--in this very house!" said Madame Staubach, not
knowing what it might best become her to say in such a strait as
this.

"The house is as much mine as yours," said Linda, sullenly. And she
too, in saying this, had not known what she meant to say, or what
she ought to have said. Her aunt had alluded to the house, and there
seemed to her, in her distress, to be something in that on which she
could hang a word.

For a while her aunt sat in silence looking at Linda, and then she
fell upon her knees, with her hands clasped to heaven. What was the
matter of her prayers we may not here venture to surmise; but, such
as they were, they were sincere. Then she arose and went slowly
as far as the door, but she returned before she had reached the
threshold. "Wretched child!" she said.

"Yes, you have made me wretched," said Linda.

"Listen to me, Linda, if so much grace is left to you. After what
you have told me, I cannot but suppose that all hope of happiness or
comfort in this world is over both for you and me."

"For myself, I wish I were dead," said Linda.

"Have you no thought of what will come after death? Oh, my child,
repentance is still possible to you, and with repentance there will
come at length grace and salvation. Mary Magdalene was blessed,--was
specially blessed among women."

"Pshaw!" said Linda, indignantly. What had she to do with Mary
Magdalene? The reality of her position then came upon her, and
not the facts of that position which she had