Page:Margaret Fuller by Howe, Julia Ward, Ed. (1883).djvu/27

12 years, had felt the high tone of this lady's character, and the proud sensibility expressed in her changing countenance. From her she could learn the lesson of hope and of comfort. Listening to the story, she no longer repulsed the hand of healing, hut took patiently the soothing medicine offered by her visitor.

This story of Margaret's school-life she, herself has told, in an episode called "Marianna," which was published in her Summer on the Lakes, and afterwards embodied in Mr, darkens contribution to the memoir already published. We have already quoted several passages from it, and will here give her account of the end of the whole matter.

She returned to life, but it was as one who has passed through the valley of death. The heart of stone was quite broken hi her; the fiery will fallen from flame to coal.

"When her strength was a little restored, she had all her companions summoned, and said to them: 'I deserved to die, but a generous trust has called me back to life. I will be worthy of the past, nor ever betray the trust, or resent injury more. Can you forgive the past?' And," says the narrative, they not only forgave, but with love and earnest tears clasped in their arms the returning sister. They vied with one another in offices of humble love to the humbled one; and let it be recorded, as an "instance of the pure honour of which young hearts are capable, that these facts, known to some forty persons, never, so far as I know, transpired beyond those walls."

In making this story public, we may believe Margaret to have been actuated by a feeling of the value of such an experience both in the study of character and in the discipline of young minds. Here was